The Twin Chronicles
by Nightshade4
Summary: Long Overdue Update: three new chapters added; the plot begins to get thicker as a bloody conflict leaves a number of questions in its wake.
1. Prologue

_Does fate rule us, or do we rule fate?_

_At what point in time were these shackles of destiny placed upon us?_

_Does blood alone make the measure of one's value?_

_These answers I sought, and seek still, for my life has been a trail of questions._

_Hate breeds hate and the land becomes stained crimson;_

_As the chains of destiny tighten their grasp the world becomes a stark place of contrast._

_However, even if the last vestige of peace is stripped from us…_

_A spark of hope still remains…_

_For those who are willing to move towards the future…_

_I leave it in your paws…my children._

-Note in abbey records, author unknown

"_By unclean blood the darkness falls. Fire shall spread by the will of the Light, and the putrid tide shall leave a pathway of blood. The twin seed shall be sown by the bloodless paw and when the flame and wind join as one the sword of the sky shall fall and cleave the world apart…"_

- Prophecy of destruction foretold by the Emperor's Seer…

**The Twin Chronicles**

**Prologue**

Mossflower Woods had not seen a storm such as this in many a season. The sky brooded with endless dark clouds, lances of lighting playing about them and thunder echoing from their every corner. On the ground it seemed even darker than a night should properly be…and the rain only added to this effect. It came down in a constant piercing torrent of thin needle-like drops that shattered upon the already soaked ground. The noise would have deafened most creatures, the wind howled like an unleashed demon, the flood of rain and running water created a constant deluge of sound that came close to drowning out the thunder that boomed across the woodlands.

Redwall Abbey stood in the center of it all, its ancient red-sandstone walls steadfastly withstanding the powerful forces of Mother Nature in full swing around them. Most any beast would have missed it in the haze of the storm and night…but as always the fires burned bright in the abbey building, lanterns and candles lit on the inside casting a warm glow that was still just barely visible in the storm's torrent. It was this glow that attracted a single solitary creature who was desperately struggling through the night…carrying a carefully protected bundle between her two drenched paws. She was a small diminutive rat, wearing little more than tattered rags over a body that was now soaked to the very bone, but even the floods of water over her body did not conceal the trickle of blood that seeped from a deep gash in her side. She stumbled forward, focusing on the soft light she saw ahead of her, from some building she did not recognize…but any type of sanctuary would be a miracle to her.

Out of the forest she staggered, up the muddy pathway, and right up to the large and sturdy main gate on the west side of the structure. Reaching it she leaned against the door, she could feel her strength leaving her with every passing moment…she reached up with one shaking paw and banged on the door. For what seemed to her like hours, but was only a few moments, nothing happened. Then the massive doorway creaked open and a mouse's head poked out into the stormy night. He looked at the female rat with surprise, but before he could say a single word she pushed forward past the door and into Redwall's gatehouse.

Brother Halem was shocked to no small amount at the sight of the creature as she collapsed to her knees on the floor. "Oh my! You need help marm!" he called over to a female hedgehog who was standing nearby, his good friend Sister Lilium "Lil! Go fetch the Abbess and Sister Alora, quick now!" Lil nodded, at a loss for words and scurried out of the gatehouse. Halem turned his attention to the rat, who seemed to be trying to regain her feet, but her whole body now was trembling and Halem could now see the blood trailing from the wound in her side. He kneeled down next to her, pulling a piece of his habit off and putting it to the wound to try to stop the flow of blood. The rat spoke, her voice shaky "P-p-please…you…you m-must take them…" Halem helped her up and laid her down on a nearby sofa, trying to calm her down "Now, now, marm, your injured and must save your strength…your safe here and help is soon to arrive." The female rat shook her head and held up the bundle, "N-not much time…take them…make s-sure they…stay…safe." Halem took the warm and now wriggling bundle; he opened it to find two small ratbabes looking back at him, both looking cold, hungry, and terrified. He looked back at the female rat, to tell her not to worry and he would do what he could for them, but she had already used the last of her life to push her two offspring into the Brother's arms…she now lay on the sofa with an almost serene look on her face, no trace of life left.

A few moments later the door into the gatehouse from the abbey grounds swung open. Abbess Songbreeze, along with the Abbey Warrior Dannflor, the Abby's Badgermother Cregga, the abbey healer mouse Alora, and Sister Lilium, came into the room and crowed around Halem and the now dead rat.

"What happened Halem?" asked Song in the musical voice that was her namesake, now filled with concern. Halem just shook his head, tears running down his eyes, "S-she just came in all of a sudden, I didn't have time to do anything for her…" he held up the bundle with the two ratbabes in it "The last thing she said before dying was to asked me to take care of them." By his look Song could tell that Brother Halem was practically filled to the brim with sorrow…she turned to the others "It looks like there is nothing more we can do for her…Dann can you take care of a burial." The squirrel warrior, and Song's long time friend nodded "I think I can handle that Song…but what are we going to do with the two little ones?" Cregga was busy appraising the dead rat mother, "Hmmmm…this wound was made by a blade, it would seem she was fleeing from somebeast…" Alora had taken the two ratbabes from Halem and was inspecting them, the two babes shook with both cold and fear, not being able to know what was happening to them, "I'll get them dried and fed and put them in the infirmary…other than being soaked they don't seem to have been injured." Song could see Halem breath a sigh relief, and she guessed she felt the same way…though the babes were technically vermin they were still just babes and of no harm to anybeast. "Thank you Alora, I trust you to take good care of them for the time being." Alora nodded and genitally took the two ratbabes from Brother Halem. Being sure to keep the two young ones well covered with a blanket Redwall's healer left the gatehouse and crossed the abbey grounds through the rain to the main building where she would take her two charges to the comforting safety of the infirmary. Song turned back to Brother Halem "If you wish I'll have somebeast else come out and take over gatehouse duty…you might need some rest." Halem was staring in the direction that Alora had went, he seemed to not hear the Abbess for a moment then with a quick blink he seemed to come back to reality "Huh…oh, that's alright Abbess, I think I can keep up gatehouse duty for the night…I just…" he trailed off, and Song nodded "I understand, I'll have Friar Kal bring some food out in a little while." She turned to Dann "Shall I have somebeast give you a paw with the burial?" her friend nodded, but in a strange detached way, Song knew he was worried about the abbey's safety and was thinking about what this latest event could mean for Redwall. Song had to admit that she felt a bit worried as well, she had only taken the position as Abbess last season and Redwall was still recovering from a war with a group of foxes that had invaded.

She still freshly remembered those events as if they had happened yesterday. How a mysterious and infamous family of fox's known as Marlfoxs had attack Redwall Abbey. She had just been a visitor then, having traveled there with her family. When she first set eyes on the Abbey she could never have guessed that one day she would be it's Abbess, or of the adventurers she and her two good friends Dannflor and Dippler would share. During one of the battles outside the abbey a pair of Marlfoxs had sneaked into the abbey and stolen it's fabled and valued tapestry and like the impulsive young ones they had been the three of them had set out to get it back. Song smiled to herself at all the memories of those days that seemed like they had happened so long ago. She shook her head to bring herself back into the here and now, where there were matters to attend.

For now Dann had covered the female rat's body with a blanked and had turned to her "I'll go find my father and a few others and give her a proper burial." A flash of lightning from outside and the roar of thunder made Song giver her friend a dubious look. "In that? Digging would probably be near impossible in this kind of weather, wait for the storm to die down a bit then go ahead with the burial. In the meantime we'd better get back to the abbey." She turned towards the door and walked for it. Dann and Cregga followed, Cregga saying in her deep voice "I assume your going to check on those two babes." It was not a question. Song did not break step as the three of them left the gatehouse and into the open fury of the storm as they crossed the abbey grounds.

Once safely back inside the main abbey building Dann said, "Hey Song, I'll join you in the infirmary in a sec but I need to go get my father up and find some digging tools."

"Sure, can you also tell the Friar to bring food out to Halem…he's just gone through a serious ordeal and something to eat will probably do him good." Dann gave a little wave as he went his way. "Can do Song, I'll see you in a little while." And with that he was off, leaving Song and Cregga to go on to the infirmary.

Redwall's infirmary served as a place of healing for all in the abbey, it's walls line with soft beds on one side and shelves and cupboards filled with herbs and medicines both common and exotic. In the far corner of the room by one of the windows, Sister Alora was gently rocking what appeared to be a makeshift crib. As Song and Cregga entered the room Alora turned to greet them. "Ah, glad to see the two of you came. The two little ones are still scared near half to death, the poor little darlings…I tried to give them some food earlier but they both seem too frightened to take it." The mousemaid gave a worried shrug, "They are at least warm and dry for the moment but if they don't take any food or drink they are sure to starve." Song came up to the crib and looked inside as Alora spoke. Inside the two ratbabes, one male, one female, clung to each other near the far end. Both were still as wide eyed as when Song had first seen them in the gatehouse, and they both still shivered even though Alora had dried them and warmed them. "What do you suppose has them so scared?" Song mused aloud. Alora came up beside her while Cregga walked around to the other side of the crib. "I imagine whatever happened to their mother had been a frightening enough experience for ones so new to the world, then being carried in such a ghastly storm for who knows how much distance or time, then suddenly being taken from their mother's arms into the company of complete strangers…would you not be frightened?" Song did not have to think on what Alora had said to understand it, she knew that under the same circumstances and if she were the same age she too would have been terribly afraid. But this was Redwall, a place of peace and safety to any creature who needed or desired such things and it was detected to helping other creatures. So of course Song wanted nothing more at this moment then to see these two ratbabes not scared but peacefully sleeping and recovering from their ordeal.

So of course she immediately set about trying to accomplish this. "Alora, could you give me the food you were trying to feed them?" the Sister nodded and turned to a shelf where she plucked up a bowl filled with warm soup from which a steam still rose. "Here, this should be more than enough to calm them and keep them well fed until tomorrow…if we can get them to eat it." Song took the bowl with a nod of thanks and turned her attention to the crib. Slowly and carefully she placed the bowl into the center of the crib. The two ratbabes both sniffed the air, obviously smelling the enticing meal…but the sheer intimidating presence of what was to them a monolithic creature of imposing size made them stay where they were. Song was not daunted in the least bit by this and gently pushed the bowl a bit closer. Still the babes would not move, though they did visibly shiver less. This encouraged Song and she decided to try something.

She took in a deep breath and summoned her ever so well-known voice to do what she was so named for. The tune of her voice was like that of a soft flowing stream in spring, kind and soothing as it hummed a very old lullaby that her mother had long ago hummed to her to help her drift off into sleep after hard days on the road. The lullaby continued to hang in the air as Song's angelic voice gave the old notes new life. Both Alora and Cregga stood completely silent, both of them fully moved by the sheer pureness of emotion in every note Song hummed. The two ratbabes had stopped their shivering altogether at first hearing the lullaby, and for a moment they seemed less frightened and simply more unsure of themselves. Song continued to hum as she placed her paw into the crib and guided the bowl of still steaming soup closer to the pair of babes.

Strangely enough the two ratbabes exchanged a glance before tentatively crawling over to the bowl. Once there each eagerly starting sipping their fill, all the while listening to Song's soothing voice as the lullaby continued. Song had gotten so caught up in what she was doing, so determined to see that these two young souls were at peace in her abbey that it took her a moment to notice something rather odd. She looked down to see that the two ratbabes had finished with the soup and were now clinging to her arm. Song looked down into their eyes as they looked up at hers and she felt something she had never felt before. This was the first time that any so young had held on to her like this, in such a loving and in some ways desperate manner. The shinny little eyes of the young ratbabes already told their own tale and Song realized with some amount of shock that the two ratbabes had accepted a replacement for their lost mother.

For a long moment Song was a little too shocked by the realization to do anything but stare down at the pair of tiny ratbabes who stared back with a almost blind need in their eyes. The two literally _needed_ something, sombeast, to hold onto to keep the sheer fear of being lost and confused at bay. Song found herself smiling and whispering soft comforting words of the kind only the very young could really understand. With careful gentleness she eased the two ratbabes down into the crib and stood there, coaxing them into sleep with whispering tunes. She did not even realize it as the storm outside slackened its ferocity and the darkness outside the small infirmary window became lighter with the coming of dawn.

Long past had Cregga and Sister Alora left the room, leaving the young ones to their sleep and the Abbess to her tending of them. When the first golden rays of sunlight streaked in over the red sandstone walls to light upon Songbreeze's eyes, she gave a small start as she realized just how much time she'd spent in here. By now the two ratbabes were sound asleep, looking for the entire world as peaceful and content as if the troubles of the previous night had never occurred. By now the storm was all but gone, as fading memory with only the misty vapor and thinning clouds as evidence that it had ever been.

Song breathed a sigh of relief, both glad to see the storm pass and even more so to see her new charges finally resting. Outside she heard the clamor of voices and saw out the window Dann and his father Rusvul talking with the badger mother as the three walked with grim faces and digging tools towards the gatehouse. They would give the mother of the two ratbabes a proper burial, even with the difficult of digging in mud. It still troubled Song the knowledge of how the female rat had died…more from a slash in her side then the storm last night. Who did that to her and why? And perhaps even more importantly, would this mean danger for Redwall Abbey?

Turning from the window and the crib, Song silently strode towards the door of the infirmary. She would have to talk with her father and Dann's, along with the Dann himself and Cregga. Maybe she should call a full meeting of the abbey in Cavern Hole. No…that would cause undue commotion among the abbey and until she knew more she did not plan on getting everybeast worked up over what might be nothing. So far all that happened last night was a poor female rat died from the previous nights storm and it was now the abbey's duty to look after the now orphaned young ones. After all, that was part of what the abbey had been built to do. There would be of course some talk of it, two vermin, even if they were just babes, in the abbey. But It would pass and Song intended to see that the last wishes of the mother be carried out. Song reached the door and opened it, turning back to look once more at the crib.

"Even if I have to replace what they lost…" she whispered to herself, then left, closing the door softly behind her.


	2. Chatper 1 The Meagar and the Valiant

Chapter 1 The Meager and the Valiant 

Four months latter….

Wind slowly whistled through the bleak ravine, it's hollow and almost haunted tone seeming to echo the mood of those who huddled around the rocks and patches of trees that were scattered around the area. Vermin of all sorts hunched over miniscule campfires, trying in vain to warm paws over barely crackling coals as the chill of the wind swept over them. Many were wounded in one or more ways, make-shift bandages wrapped carelessly over often still bleeding gashes and cuts. The less wounded, those who could still walk, were scattered at intervals around the hills on either side of the ravine, placed there to give warning in case "They" came again. The entire mood of the horde, if it could still be called that, mirrored Vaz Darkeye's current bleary and frustrated state. The rat was a giant among his kind, standing nearly a head taller than any normal rat. His fur was brown and bristly, with odd patches of black dotting his large tree-trunk arms and solid barrel chest. His face was set in stark angles as if cut from stone and scarred horribly by claw marks that stretched all the way down to his neck, as if some great beast had tried to literally claw his face off. His eyes though were what gave him his name, two orbs of odd opposite colors…one black as a torn off patch of night and the other blind and white like the purest of clouds.

Vaz growled slowly to himself as he tore off the last stripes of meat from the leg bone of a lone sparrow that one of the hunters had been lucky enough to bag the previous day. Meat was practically non-existent now, and most any kind of food a pure luxury. Vaz's gut broiled with frustration and rage whenever memories of the reason for the state of his horde came into mind. The reason his mate and children were probably dead by now.

Though it had happened months ago, Vaz remembered clearly. It had just started off as another day like any other, the horde awakening to a new day of spending their time hunting food, preparing for the coming winter, and taking care to make sure none ever entered the mountain valley they called home, at least not enter and live that is.

Vaz did not really consider himself a warlord, since you had to go to war for that purpose. His horde had barely numbered over three hundred, and as such had not been nearly strong enough to fight over territory as the other far larger hordes did. However, the valley Vaz's horde had occupied was well hidden among the mountain passes and with a strong running stream from the mountain peaks and good hunting in the nearby forests Vaz saw little reason to expand beyond the valley's tiny boarders. He had no ambitions to rule great hordes or anything like that, which was in his opinion a waste of time. Why bother when every slack jawed idiot who had a spark of ambition would be out to take your head? Vaz liked a good brawl as much as the next rat but he preferred to not have hundreds of would-be warlords trying to assassinate him. His own little horde had been loyal enough because of the easy life he kept them in. That was changed now that their safe home in the valley was no more, as the scattered remains of his horde numbering no more than fifty now attested to.

On that morning, what felt a lifetime ago to Vaz, "They" came. There was no warning, Vaz remembered, only an odd rumbling that sounded like the coming of thunder only that the ground shook slightly at the same time. Vaz's memory was sketchy but he remembered clearing rushing out of his tent with his massive axe held in one paw and bellowing to know what was going on. His dear mate, Saza, had asked him what was happening from inside the tent while she still rubbed sleep from her eyes, and before he had even time to answer he saw an image that forever would be burned into his mind. As the horde roused itself from slumber, creatures scurrying out of tents into the morning sunlight and looking around in much the same way Vaz had, he saw it. On the ridge on the far end of the valley where the horde camped, countless sparkles of golden light nearly blinded Vaz, before he realized it was just the sun reflecting off steel. This mass of shifting metal moved in neat blocks off the ridge where it appeared and even at that distance Vaz had seen it for what it was.

Hundreds, no, thousands of creatures, all armored in identical shining plate-mail, marching in perfect formations. Marching towards Vaz's horde with sickening speed. Vaz vaguely remembered shouting orders to his horde to abandon the camp and grab what they could and run. His mind's eye saw it all again in crystal clarity as there was a mad rush, vermin grabbing weapons, packs of food, anything they could find, all as that impossible army of creatures in shining metal had continued to descend upon them. In his memory he remembered hearing the awful sound that army made as it marched, a continues rumble of armored foot paws pounding upon the earth, the screeching clank of metal upon metal as ranks of them moved in such perfect unison.

The horde had barely gotten itself prepared before the ranks of armored soldiers got close enough for real detail to be made out. Vaz remembered thinking it so very odd that mice, squirrels, otters, and various other woodlanders all looked so alike when each was clad in identical suits of armor, great things of polished silver steel that bore an odd crest on the shoulders, depictions of a great sunburst pierced by a sword.

Vaz remembered hearing a loud and clear cry from those ranks, a single voice that echoed across the valley.

"Regiment…halt!"

And as one the army had stopped, as if some great puppeteer had pulled his strings and made them each halt their march at precisely the same moment. There had been a frightening silence as those in the horde all seemed to pause as they looked at this army, Vaz remembering seeing more than one terrified face turn to look at him for guidance, including his wife who had been clutching their two newborn children to her chest as if her thin arms might act as shields to protect the little ones. Vaz's memory broke up around that point, but what he did remember last was that the same voice, that same bland toneless commanding voice as it called out again.

"For the glory of the Light! Charge!"

And it was echoed by a thousand voices, each soldier had repeated the command.

"For the glory of the Light! Charge!"

From that point it had been a pure panic as the vermin horde Vaz had called his own scattered under the crushing weight of that army as it spilled forward in one massive wave of blinding steel. Vaz had a pawfull of images after that. Him shouting at Saza to run. That terrible rumbling sound as the army tore through the first lines of vermin. The sight of swords flashing and shrieks of pain as those steel clad monsters started to slaughter any they came across. The image of a ferret no older than a season being run through by a mouse with a face as blank and emotionless as a child's wooden doll. His own axe swirling around him as he tried to fight his way free, to rally his horde to him. Running, so much running, nearly slipping in blood from all the dead. That crest, sunburst pierced by a sword, signifying death and pain.

Vaz snapped back to the present as the leg bone of the sparrow snapped in his clenched paw, the broken end cutting into flesh. The rat cursed to himself as the small wound started to bleed slightly and he threw the bone away in disgust.

He had somehow survived it, running for what felt like hours along with a few other vermin of his horde, fleeing that massacre. It had taken days to track down the broken remains of his horde, finding a group here, a pair or two coming in there. They avoided that army like the plague, but that wasn't hard considering how it acted. It had moved away from the tattered remains of the camp almost immediately after the slaughter had ended, and marched with that frightening synchronization out of the valley and away.

Still, Vaz took no chances and as the numbers that they found or came back began to dwindle he managed to take the time to count their loses. More than two-thirds of the horde dead or missing…there was no need for burials. The army had left a massive fire pit where they had burned the bodies of the dead vermin. For all Vaz knew Saza and his two children where in that pit. His fist clenched again and a small trickle of blood seeped through his clenched fingers. He was sure he had told that fool female to run, so why had she not? Vaz's mood darkened and he got up from his small campfire to walk off his growing rage; it was really just a matter of bad timing that Halftail, Vaz's second in command, came walking up.

Halftail was an old ferret, gray of fur and will only part of his tail left after an unfortunate run in with a hawk seasons ago. The ferret immediately knew Vaz's mood as he came up to the rat, but said anyway.

"Chief…er, I gots ta talk to ya." Vaz didn't break step and Halftail was forced to walk rather fast beside the huge rat as he talked.

"It's the lads chief, they be talkin' bout deserting." This made Vaz swing around and grab the ferret by the neck of his jacket, lifting him off the ground.

"Leave? And where do they be thinking they can go?" Vaz made no effort to lower his voice, he wanted all of them to hear this. He tossed Halftail to the ground, the ferret looking up at the rat with unreadable eyes that held a undercurrent of fear. Vaz turned to glare at the collection of what was left of his horde as they all stared at him with mixed looks of fear and unease.

"What kind of fools do you all be? With armies of killer woodlanders being at this moment out there slaughtering vermin left and right do you all be thinking you'll find safety with another warlord?"

This earned a few murmurs from among them all, and one or two shouts of, "Well what else can we do?"

"There's no food and we can't keep hiding like this!"

Vaz silenced it all with a glare of his one good eye. "Now you all be listening to me! All you'll be finding out there," he said pointing out of the ravine "Is quick death! I know your being tired and your wounds be hurting, do you be thinking I be any better off? The only way we be getting a chance to see the next sunrise be to stick together and keep moving! We be leavening these lands," he had been thinking along these lines for a while now "West we move! To lush more fertile ground, where we can be finding a new place to hunt and call our own!"

There were still one or two unconvinced faces among those gathered, but Vaz knew they would come around in time once they all realized just how few options they had left. He didn't really know if to the west lay better lands but east was no option because all there was in that direction were great deserts. North was no better because of the mountains that got even steeper and more dangerous the further you went. And as for south…well, Vaz knew better than to cross into those lands where vermin hordes grew thicker than weeds. The bigger ones in days would pick a small broken horde like his apart. West was all there was, and these dolts better learn that quick, otherwise he would have to make a few examples of the troublemakers to remind them of just WHY he was the leader of this horde.

He left it at that, walking away from the collection of small fires, and his second in command still sitting on the ground with a guarded expression on the ferret's face. Vaz mused that maybe Halftail would have to be the first example. The ferret always had been a little too ambitious for his own good. Walking up the hill Vaz finally paid some attention to the wound on his paw, tearing off a small piece of his tunic to wrap the wound. When he reached the hill's crest he saw that the sun was setting once more, the sky alight with pink and purple hues of color as if some great brush had stroked pains across it. The small place in his heart he rarely took notice of clenched with pain as he thought of the times that he and Saza had spent watching sunsets like this.

He didn't know if she was really dead, or his daughter and son, but he would not fool himself into false hopes. Chances were they had been apart of the ashes in that damned pit those bastard woodlanders had left behind. His rage smoldered inside him like a dormant volcano starting to awake. The woodlanders would pay…all of them. He didn't care what he had to do or how it would be done, but one way or another he would kill every last one of them. Suddenly the heat from the setting sun would have seemed cold in comparison to the anger that one rat warlord let fester inside him as he stood upon a barren hill, part of his soul left behind in a pit of ashes where he believed the only things he had ever cared about lay buried.

First Captain Vincent Clive of the 3rd Legion of the Light strode with cool confident steps towards the tent of his Lord Commander. Around him the half-triangular tents of the Legion spread out in perfectly lined rows, forming a neatly spaced diamond around a central core that consisted of the Lord Commander's tent, the supply tents, and the personal tent of His Lord Highness Prince Meriadoc.

As Vincent passed by the soldiers of the Legion, also known commonly as the Followers, broke off from their daily routines to stand at ridged attention, saluting the otter by placing their steel gauntleted paws crossed over their chests and bowing from the waist down. Vincent beamed with pride each time he saw the display, marveling at the sheer beauty of the discipline instilled in the Legion's soldiers. Like a wave they rose to show their proper respect to an officer, and at the precise moment he was far enough away they would stand at ease and then return to their task, whether that be tending to their weapons, or polishing their armor.

This camp alone contained perhaps a thousand of the Imperium's best. Two full regiments of the elite guard for the Prince's inspection of this operation. Vincent still felt pride swirl up inside him every time he thought of how he had been assigned to the Legion the Prince himself would march with while overseeing the Purge, as it had been come to be called.

Moving past the last lined row of tents, Vincent reached the inner circle where the clear space was taken up by a collection of domed tents. The largest one, it's toped rimmed in gold and with a long stout pool where the banner of the Legion fluttered, was his destination. He took a moment to salute the banner, as custom dictated, bowing and gazing up at the great sunburst, the symbol of Light, and the sword through it which was the symbol of the Legion which rightfully dispensed the will of the Light.

Opening the tent flap Vincent walked in with a slightly altered step, made meeker not only because it was proper etiquette but also the presence of the two creatures in the tent truly did command no small amount of respect.

Lord Commander Ralmsa De'Bouge was an aged hedgehog, silver gray fur neatly combed under glistening spikes. The Lord Commander's armor had been modified, as all hedgehogs' were, to allow for the spikes to stick out without impediment. The Lord Commander's dark eyes looked out from under a furrowed brow, a slight smile playing across his face as Vincent entered the room.

"Ah my boy, right on time as expected. I was just talking with His Highness of how well you performed yesterday in routing that rabble of the Unclean." The Lord Commander said, clasping his paws behind the small of his back.

Vincent stopped and bowed formally, "My Lord Commander is too kind. It was but a simple task. The Unclean ones have no concept of battle, and we purged as many as we were able, though I fear too many for my liking fled to the west."

"Still a commendable effort none the less." Said a loud and rumbling voice, and Vincent nearly felt his face flush at a direct compliment from the Prince. Meriadoc Lightstripe was a badger of great stature. Snowy white fur graced a lean muscular frame and did not show one mark of another color even upon the stern and angular face where most badgers usually had some stripe along it's length. Pure blue eyes gazed out of deep set sockets, seeming to look through you into your soul more than at you. It made Vincent slightly uncomfortable that such a gaze was now on him, even if the Prince was smiling just as the Lord Commander was.

"Surely my Prince is too kind, but I graciously welcome your praise." Vincent turns his attention to the Lord Commander, glad for the moment to not have to look the Prince directly in the eye. "My Lord Commander summoned his Captain?" it was a redundant question but military formality demanded it. Ralmsa nodded once and gestured for Vincent to take a seat around the table he and Meriadoc had been sitting at. The table was made from solid oak, well varnished and now had a well-worn map drawn upon parchment spread across its surface. Vincent sat in the chair on the same side as the Lord Commander, leaving the other side to the Prince.

The map showed a detailed topographic map of the entire known region in which the Legion now marched. Empty plains, marked with rivers and occasional small lakes, consisted of a large portion of the map. These planes were flanked on the north by a large chain of mountains that ran east to west, curving southward at their most western tip, which nearly made it halfway down the map. To the west itself was all planes, save for the far edge where a large lake, nearly an inner sea itself, marked the beginning of a huge section of forest. This whole map had been drawn based of old expeditions and information gathered from interrogations of a few of the Unclean that had been taken alive for the singular purpose of gleaning what information their small putrid minds contained before they were rightfully put to the blade.

"Our forces are spread across the majority of this area," said the Lord Commander, as he gestured to the lines of blue that had been drawn upon the map to show the position of each Legion. "The 5th and 8th Legion have already crossed the great river to the west, spearheading a pursuit of a few large hordes of the Unclean as they attempted to flee. For the moment I have dispatched orders for those Legions to return so that we are not spread too thin."

Prince Meriadoc leans forward and looks over the map, his eyes searching and his face taking on a curious expression. "It seems a waste to call them back Ralmsa. You know we cannot afford for too many of the Unclean to escape our grasp so early in this operation. The Purge must not let any large number of those lowly things to get away or they will breed into great numbers once more and become the plague they once were."

The Lord Commander nodded once, saying "I understand His Majesty's concerns, but it is best not to take chances that we cannot afford any more than we can afford to leave too many of the Unclean alive upon this world. Once the Legions are whole again and our line is steady, we shall march forth once more and continue to Purge these lands as far west as we can until the great waters of the ocean stop us. But to do that we must be whole and not reach too far. As you know the supplies we brought with us from the Imperium are starting to become a liability. There simply is not enough natural vegetation in these blighted lands for us to continue without logistical support. The foodstuffs and equipment your Highness brought with you when you arrived to inspect our progress has helped and will keep us going long enough for the runners I sent back to get word to your father His Royal Majesty to send more supply caravans out here. Then once fully supplied we can restart our great march."

The Prince seemed to be satisfied with this and said no more, leaning back in his chair and regarding the map with a casual eye. The Lord Commander turned and looked over at Vincent. "Captain, the reason I summon you here is that I have a special task that must be carried out, for the glory of the Light."

Vincent sat up straighter and fixed the Lord Commander with his most loyal and attentive look. "I live to serve the Light and my Lord Commander. Speak your wishes and I swear to you that I shall do all within my power to fulfill them."

"Then listen well," said Ralmsa as he turned back to the map. "Two-weeks and three days past a regiment encountered and purged a den of the Unclean in a valley not more than ten miles north of here at the tip of this mountain pass." He pointed to the southern tip of the mountains, very near to where the great forests to the west began their great stretch across the western lands. "Most of the things were properly slain, but it is suspected a few escaped. While normally this would pose no problem there is one slight difference here than with the many other routs of Unclean. In all the others the things fled directly to the west, beyond our reach and beyond our concern for the moment. But this one band scattered into the mountains and I fear it might cause a problem if one of their so-called leaders organized raids on our rear lines."

Vincent tried not to but snorted anyway "Is my Lord Commander serious, with all due respect those creatures do not have the mental capacity to organize such a thing…." He pauses, seeing the Lord Commander's look. "Can they?"

Ralmsa sighed and shook his head "At times they are not as stupid as we would like them to be Vincent. Even if the chances of a scattered and broken band posing a threat to us is minimal at best, it would be better to make sure that none were alive to even have that small chance. I want you to take a company of soldiers and go into those mountains and destroy the remnants of that band of the Unclean. If you must pursue them all the way to the very oceans of the west, you will have the supplies you need and a small enough group can survive on it's own off the land whereas the entire Legion can not. Do not return here until the last of the Unclean from that shattered horde is put down and no longer a threat to us. I choose you for this mission because I know you have experience with wilderness operations and can lead small groups well and can deal with long remote missions such as this. I expect you to bring this Legion honor and glory to the Light. Are there any questions?"

Holding his face tightly in an stoic expression. Mixed feelings of gratification for being chosen for such a mission and the ache of knowing he would most likely be gone from the Legion for a long time trying to track down the lowly vermin in the mountains fluttered inside him. He stood and saluted the Lord Commander.

"None my Lord Commandeer. With your leave I shall proceed to undertake this mission at once. Glory to the Light."

Ralmsa smiles and stands, returning Vincent's salute. "I'm sure you will do very well. You are dismissed Captain Vincent, glory to the Light and honor be with you."

Vincent made a smart about face and quickly left the tent, the cockiness returning to his stride. Ralmsa sighed as he watched the otter go, glad that that little bit of business was done and he could move on to other things. So much to do before he could retire for the night. He looked over at Prince Meriadoc.

"I hope you Highnesses first impression of the young Captain Vincent was a favorable one."

The Prince glanced at the tent flap where Vincent had left, then back at Ralmsa, his voice musing. "He shows much zeal, though that is hardly a unfavorable quality. If you say he has the potential that you believe he has then I shall certainly consider raising his rank to that necessary to succeed you as Lord Commander of the Legion…if that is your wish."

Ralsma sighs again and slowly walks over to a side of the tent where a open flap acts as a window to the outside. His eyes gaze out of that flap at the sun as it sets in the broken horizon of mountains to the west "He is a very headstrong young one, much like I was at his age. I have no heirs to take my place when I pass from this world into the Light's embrace…and for a long time I have watched young Vincent grow from an overzealous soldier to a skilled leader of creatures and a quick thinker when it comes to making hard decisions. There are few I'd trust with the command of this Legion that him and it is my wish that he be my successor."

The Prince rises from his seat and walks to stand beside the hedgehog. "Then so it shall be. When he returns from this mission you've assigned him to I shall see to it personally that he is named as your successor."

Ralmsa turns his head upward to look the badger in the face, his voice a slight whisper. "My thanks go to you. May his Highness always walk the path of honor and be blessed by the Light." The badger laughs once and claps the old hedgehog on the back. "As it always should be my friend. Now come, there is still much we must discuss before this night is done…we do after all have a whole continent yet to purge of the Unclean."


	3. Chapter 2 Reunion

Chapter 2 

Reunion

Songbreeze walked through the doorway into the abbey kitchens, carrying a large basket of red berries between her paws. Inside Friar Kal stood humming to himself over a steaming pot of soup, stirring it with a long wooden spoon and occasionally adding a few mushrooms to the simmering concoction. Kal was a shrew of no small height or girth, with stubby brown fur under his white apron that had nary a stain on it. A jolly fellow who seemed to only argue about anything when it involved food and its preparation.

As Song entered the Friar turned his head and his face cracked with a broad smile. "Ah, Abbess marm! Please, please, do come in. Go ahead and set them berries on the table there!"

"Of course Friar." Said Song, striding over to the indicated table and placing her burden upon it. Afterwards she turned and looked over the Friar's shoulder at the soup, breathing in the smell wafting from the pot. "Mmmmm, smell's wonderful Friar. A new recipe?"

Kal beamed, nodding and garbing a nearby jar of containing an odd brown powder. "Yes marm, I'm pleased you noticed. This is a little something I stumbled across season's back when I was but a young shrew just learning the grand secrets of the culinary arts." He opened the jar and while still stirring the soup, gently dabbled a pawful into it. "One day I found that certain plant's have bark that if ground off and crushed into a fine powder, make excellent spices for soups and other such things."

"Fascinating," Song said, taking in the smell one last time and thinking that it did indeed smell a bit spicy. "I'm sure it will taste delicious. You have yet to not live up to the title of Friar. Is there anything else you need?"

Kal bobbed his head, his smile never once fading. "Your praise is more than enough marm. I'm sure you have far more important things to be doing." He says with a knowing wink. Song rolls her eyes, understanding what he was talking of all too well.

"Very well Friar, carry on and good day."

Leaving the kitchens, Song made her way down the grand hallway that ran down the center of the main building towards the stairwell that would lead to the upper dormitories. She needed to check with Brother Garlin, the resident handymouse, about repairing the doorframe on the Sister Alora's infirmary. Yesterday it had been…

"Abbess! Abbess!" Song turned around upon hearing somebeast calling for her from down the hall. Up came running Sister Mayfield. Mayfield was a delicate appearing dormouse, soft white fur and pale blue eyes matching a sapphire dress that was certainly not abbey attire. But since she had made the outfit herself, along with all her many others, Song found no reason to say Mayfield could not dress any way she wished. Normally Mayfield was cheerful and kind, if not a bit whimsical and more than a tad flirty with many of the males in the abbey, seemingly regardless of species. However now the female dormouse looked positively flustered her cheeks puffing in and out and her steps seeming like exaggerated stomps upon the stone floor. The reason for this, Song guessed without doubt, was hanging upside down from his tail held by Mayfield's left paw.

"What is the trouble Sister Mayfield." Asked Song, trying to hide the growing smile of amusement on her face.

Mayfield stopped in front of Song, putting one paw on her hip and holding up the other, displaying her prisoner with a look of stark distaste. "I found this…this…babe," from her tone she didn't think the word suited "in my sewing room again! He had completely made a mess of things, string and needles everywhere!"

"Oh, I'm glad to hear he didn't hurt himself," said Song, looking down at what Mayfield held. "You aren't hurt are you Leon?"

The ratbabe, Leon, looked up from his upside down position with an odd lopsided grin on his face. The long patch of fur on his head had only grown over the past weeks, now fully covering one eye usually; now fell down towards the ground, hanging there like a stringy brush of brown fur. The babe didn't' seem to mind being held in that precarious manner, seeming to actually enjoy swinging from left to right by his tail. "Norra m'be hurted…looki." he held up his diminutive paws as if to prove he'd not stabbed himself with one needle or pin.

Mayfield snorted and held out the babe to Song, who took Leon and held him right side up and smiled at the dormouse. "I'll send somebeast to clean your sewing room Sister Mayfield, so not to worry. And I'll talk with little Leon here and see that he doesn't disturb it again."

The dormouse blew out a long breath and nodded once, looking between Song and the ratbabe who had now thoroughly attached himself to her shoulder, looking back at her with wide innocent eyes. "I swear," said Mayfield "That babe is too bold and cunning for his own good. I don't even know how he got inside this time but if I find him in there again I'll paddle him myself." The dormouse turned her chin up and strode away with fast deliberate steps.

Once Mayfield was out of sight Song sighed and held Leon up to look the ratbabe in the face. "Well mister, what do you have to say for yourself?" the ratbabe's face didn't change it's grin as he said "I lika missy May! She funny a' er' roomie's got lotsa toys!"

Song laughed and shook her head, holding the ratbabe to her chest and patting him on the head. "Yes she is funny isn't she? But don't go into her room anymore alright?" Leon's head cocks to the side and his face becomes overly curios. "Why's a no?"

"Because it's dangerous to play in there. And because I said not to." She winked and added "Also because if you do go in there again I know a certain Friar who's cooking up some ratbabe soup and he needs some fresh ingredients." She starts to tickle him under the armpits.

At hearing this Leon squeals and wriggles in her paws, laughing. "Hahahaha, Norra me goin' inta souper! Hehehehehe, me besa goodin now, nor mor tickles, hehehe!"

Song holds him up and gives him a final level stare "See that you do Leon. Now…where's your sister." The ratbabe looks up and seems to think for a moment, before replying "Mesa no seein' Terra." Song sighs and starts to walk towards the stairs, carrying Leon on her shoulder. "I figured as much. All right it's time for your nap, I don't want to hear about you sneaking out of bed now you hear. I'll go find your sister and when I get back I want to see you fast asleep snoring like a family of hedgehogs after a feast."

Leon jumps up and down on her shoulder, or as much as he can with Song holding him in place. "Soris liks yous mama?" he asks innocently. Song fakes a glare and laughs as she tickles him again, as the crest the top of the stairs and she takes him into their room. "Who snores? I don't snore. Now off to bed."

The room was once just the single bedroom area of the Abbess, but now it had been expanded to include a smaller bed next to hers that had obviously two sides to it, one painted blue the other white. She places Leon on the blue side, tucking him in as the ratbabe squirms around talking about babe like things. She takes a moment to calm him down and get him tucked in properly, then gets up to leave.

"Nora leavi!" calls Leon "Gotta sig gotta sig!" Song laughs and turns around "Very well, just a quick one…" she goes back to the bedside, sitting on the folds of her own bed, and starts to hum a soft lullaby letting her voice take the simple musical notes and turn them into something akin to a warm spring wind rustling through the leaves of the forest. In moments Leon is making little rhythmic snores in his bed, smiling contently in the way babes do as the sleep.

Getting up, Song quietly makes her way out the door, closing it firmly behind her. One down, one to go, she thought to herself as she stared back down the hallway to the stairs.

Outside the sky seemed to be like a bright crystalline dome of blue overhead. It was hard to imagine that this was the same sky that had been filled with the black cloud of that terrible storm half a season past. Song well remembered how the abbey grounds had been partially flooded by the end of that storm, it being nearly impossible to walk outside without moving through ankle deep pools of water.

Fortunately the ground had dried out quick enough after the rains had ceased. With the sun hanging almost directly overhead, it's pleasantly warm rays bathing the land and a soft wind picking up to caress one's fur, this day felt as near perfect as one could get.

Walking right out from the main building, Songbreeze started down a well-worn path that cut right through the grounds to the gatehouse. To her left the grass of the grounds gave way to sectioned orchards where even now Song could see various abbeydwellers going about picking berries and other fruits for the next night's feasting. She slowed her step a pace when she thought of the pool of water beyond the orchards. The abbey pond provided Redwall with it's much needed water supply and acted as a pristine spot to cool one's heels after a hard day of work to relax under the shade of a willow tree. Song found herself going to that pond more and more recently. Not because she was a slouch in her work and took time off, not her. But because she somehow felt a certain responsibility…to who rested there now.

The female rat, whose name none of them had even known, lay buried by that pond. The grave was marked by the small oak sapling, which had been planted over it. Song fervently hoped that the oak would grow into a very strong tree, it somehow seemed right that it should with such a strong creature resting under it. There had been some examination of the female rat's body by Sister Alora before the burial. Not much, but enough for the infirmary mouse to learn that the poor rat had been traveling with that wound for days after it had been inflicted, had traveled with little food or water apparently. Alora's guess was that any that the female rat had scrounged up had gone into nourishing her two babes. Song still could not quite fathom the kind of willpower it must have taken to have kept going, even in that storm, with a wound like that and having not eaten in days. She had obviously loved her two children more than any hardship could have beaten down.

Song had gone to that grave each day since the burial to pay respects and to tell the mother how her two babes were doing under Song's care. Song did not presume yet to call herself the babe's mother; she was just taking care of them; that was all. Even so, she still had to admit that she was growing very fond of them both. Leon was a troublemaker true, but a pure hearted one who only made trouble because he was so curious about the world around him. Not a day went by when she did not find him toying around with one odd object or another, always feeling the item all over to try and understand what it did and how it worked. And even when he wasn't moving, Song could see an odd intensity in the babe's gaze whenever he looked upon something that interested him, as if just by looking he could see inside the object and learn everything there was to know about it. It astonished Song that he had learned basic speech so quickly, it had barley been a month before Leon had been saying his first words. Maybe that was normal for rats…both he and Terra had grown so fast in such a short period of time that it caused talk in the abbey.

Terra was so different and yet very much the same. Unlike Leon, who chattered in his babe-like speech all the time and rarely stopped moving around, Terra was a very quite babe who so far had not said one word to anybeast. Song suspected, however, that Terra understood speech just as well as Leon did, the little female rat babe just choose not to speak. Where Leon was always messing around with things and a terror to keep under control at times, Terra was one to always quietly play by herself in a random corner of the abbey. Like Leon, she had an uncanny knack for vanishing on her own when nobeast else was looking. Unlike Leon, however, Song did not have to worry about hearing about the kitchens catching on fire when Terra wandered off on her own. And whenever she did take to wandering off, Song had a pretty decent idea on where to find the babe.

When almost to the gatehouse, Song veered off the path to the right, heading for the stairs that would take her up the wall to the ramparts that circled all of Redwall Abbey in a barrier which had served to protect it for countless seasons. Normally it was forbidden for young ones to come up here and play, the chances of an accidental fall far to high to even consider risking it. Song knew very well though that her two little ratbabes cared little for the rules, and oddly enough Song felt no real desire to teach them otherwise. Their free-spirited will was part of what the Abbess of Redwall Abbey treasured in them, and the idea of weeding it out of the two made her heart clench with repulsion.

Once upon the wall tops Song knew just where to go. Heading around the southwestern corner she made her way to the opposite wall, where she knew her little Terra would be. The female ratbabe could really have been the mirror image of her brother, save that instead of that strange long patch of fur on the head Terra had perfectly smooth and rich brown fur that grew evenly all around. Terra sat as she always did, with her back to the walkway and all her attention on the red sandstone in front of her. Even as Song slowly paced up Terra did not seem to notice, and Song could easily see why.

Small black streaks lined, crossing this way and that, across the ramparts, some forming various patterns, most just babe-like scribbles. Which made sense since a babe made them. Terra was just making another long mark with a piece of charcoal, her face alight with pure dibbunish delight at what was to her beautiful artwork, when Song leaned over her shoulder.

"And what is my little artist drawing today?" asked Song in a soft and loving voice. Terra turned her face upward, smudged with charcoal and deep chocolate brown eyes going bright with the smile that spread the babe's face. Terra said nothing, but she threw her arms up, which was signal enough for Song as she scooped up the ratbabe and held her up on her shoulder just as she had Leon.

"You've already decorated the entire south wall you know." Song said with a smile and laugh as she carried Terra down from the walls. "At this rate you'll have no more wall left."

To this Terra just snuggled her head against Song's neck and cooed, the only sound she ever really made. The piece of charcoal was still clung in one of her tiny babe paws, but Song paid it little mind. She knew that somehow Leon got a hold of those pieces and would give them to Terra, the two ratbabes always had such a natural knowing of what the other needed. As such Song had quickly given up on breaking Terra of her drawing habits when a few of the abbeydwellers had complained of the drawings showing up at random around the abbey. In all honesty Song didn't see the harm in letting the little one express herself, especially since Terra seemed to enjoy little else than make those drawings.

Once back on the cool grass of the abbeygrounds Song spotted a familiar figure closing the door to the gatehouse and turning to go down the path with a rather flustered look on his face.

"Brother Halem, good to see you." Said Song as she approached the young mouse, who practically jumped out of his habit when he spun around and saw her. He managed a polite smile and a nervous stammer. "W-w-why Abbess! So good to see you as well. And of course little Terra, how are you?"

Terra smiled a dibbun's smile at Halem, one of the few other creatures at the abbey Terra seemed to take any notice of save Song and Leon. "She is well as can be expected, and sharpening her artistic skills as well," said Song, carefully scrutinizing Halem without appearing to do so. The gatekeeper's face was slightly beaded with sweat and his whiskers twitched in an erratic fashion. He was certainly nervous about something.

Song held back a frown and listened as Halem made a show of explaining in a slightly louder voice than normal that he was leaving his post in the gatehouse for a moment to go gather some tinder for the fireplace in the gatehouse. The mouse paused as if realizing the incredulous nature of his own statement as he looked up at the clear sky above, a promise of the warm weather to come.

Before he could say anything else though, Song heard voice from inside the gatehouse. She recognized them instantly and her face cracked widely in a smile that reached all the way to her ears and made her eyes shine like polished pearls. Shifting her hold on Terra so that she held the back in the cradle of one arm, she opened the door into the gatehouse and strode in, catching the last snippet of conversation from those within.

"Like I was sayin' Tiv, you just double up the hull, split it up 'tween a pair of posts n' such and use a tilted V sail and you get a boat than can go three times faster than the best log boat you could ever build." A male shrew said to a much younger one who fingered his headband and seemed to stand on the tips of his footpaws so to match the elder's stare at eye-level.

The younger one was a striking contrast of dark black and white fur, with an expression equally as contrasting, something between defiance and meekness. This made for an amusing sight as the shrew's face kept swiveling between the two emotional states as he stared up at the taller one, saying in a tone that was only slightly tinged with respect. "But Log-a-Log sir, it don't seem right I tell ya. We've been using the o' logboats for, well, ever, an' I don't see how splitin' up the hull makes a boat move faster. Probably make the bloody thing sink faster."

The elder shrew, though in all actuality he was perhaps only a season the younger one's senior, rolled his eyes, two perfect brown orbs set in a face of light brown fur that had the coarse texture of one used to the rigors of the outdoors. It was then he spotted Songbreeze.

"Song? By blazes it is you! I can hardly recognize you n' that get up o' yours, guess I forgot you were Abbess of Redwall now." he looks her up and down, grinning so widely that it looked like it would split is face in two, which completely spoiled the hurt look he tried to put in his eyes "It's been a whole season! Don't tell me you forgot what your ol' pal Dippler looks like!"

"Well I somehow remember a more handsome character," Song said playfully, letting her own smile blossom onto her face, "Very polite and well groomed, hardly the ruffian that I see before me."

The two are silent for a moment, then burst out into laughter. It isn't until they both recover from their bout of heartfelt bantering that Dippler sees Terra. The ratbabe had been morose and quiet during the exchange, hugging close to Song and looking at the two shrews with unhidden fear.

"Eh, Song? Not to spoil the reunion an' all…but why s' there a little vermin hanging on you like that?" said Dippler, scratching his head and giving Terra a quizzical gaze. Song sighed and adjusted her hold on Terra so that she could clutch the babe closer. "Oh, uh, long story Log-a-Log…hehe, I guess that's your name now isn't it."

Dippler waved a paw, saying "Nah, just call me Dippler while I'm here. I get enough of the Log-a-Log treatment from my Guosim. And nothin' personal Song but don't avoid the question…it ain't everyday the Abbess of Redwall carry's round a vermin babe like it was her own child or something."

For the first time since she'd met him Song gave Dippler a very serious look that had nothing at all to do with banter. "This is Terra, and she _is_ my daughter."

Dippler blinked. Then blinked again. Finally he managed to say past the astonishment plain on his face. "Oh. All right…okay…. eh…Song, should I even be ask n' how this happened? I mean…uh…it's not as if you…er…you know…I mean…you didn't marry a rat now did you?"

It was Song's turn to roll her eyes and she added a very profound headshake that told Dippler just how ridiculous he was being. "No Dippler, and don't be foolish. Terra is an orphan like all the other dibbuns here at Redwall. And I'm not going to go over the same argument with you that I have with Cregga, Dann's father, and half the others at the abbey. I'm very tired of having to explain to creatures who should know very well and better that Redwall is a place of sanctuary for _all_ who need the protection of it's walls. I would no more deny a vermin than I would any other creature, especially young ones. Terra and her brother Leon came to our abbey…"

After a time Song explained in full just how the twins arrived at the abbey as Dippler and the younger shrew Tiv listened on, faces going from disbelieving to shock to understanding in short order as Song concluded the tale. Dippler seemed to accept the story at face value and said no more on it, even smiled at Terra and waved. The ratbabe at some comforting words from Song returned the smile, but did little else save keep close to Song and peer at the shrews with eyes that no longer were fearful but were still far from friendly.

As Song led Dippler and Tiv from the gatehouse she noticed Hallem still standing where she'd left him, his face looking a tad flushed to say the least. "Oh, Abbess marm," he said skittishly "I would have told you we had company, but-"

Song held a paw up, smiling and saying "It's alright Hallem, think nothing of it. In fact why don't you take a break from gatekeeping for a little while In fact if you could, Sister Mayfield's sewing room met with an unfortunate, er, accident, perhaps you and Lilium might help her straighten things up. After that feel free to spend the afternoon as you wish."

Hallem nodded in relief, and added on a quick wink. He knew how much Leon liked Sister Mayfield's sewing room. "Of course Abbess marm, Lil and me will have Mayfield's room back in top shape in no time."

After Brother Hallem had gone, Song and Dippler started for the main abbey building. A few creatures who were out and about paused to watch the Abbess walking with what was obviously two Guosim shrews, their bright headbands marking them out plainly. Tiv kept glancing around with slightly wide eyes, and it occurred to Song that he did not appear to be on of the Guosim that had fought the Marlfox's a season past. Another orphan perhaps? From the look on his face he seemed amazed by what he saw, and Song well understood. She herself had been more than a bit overawed by her first sight of Redwall

Finally asked what she'd wanted to ask since she first got over her initial joy of seeing her old friend again. "Log-a…I mean Dippler, not that I don't love the idea of having you and your shrews visit, I can't help but feel this is not a social visit."

Dippler glanced at her with an oh so innocent face that quickly disappeared when he saw Song was serious. So his face became serious as well. "You're partially right Song. I'm here for the most part 'cause I really missed you an' Dann, and o' course how could the Guosim pass up a chance at good ol' Redwall fare? But your right about this being more than a pleasure visit…I have news that I think you and Dann, not to mention your fathers, should hear."

Song didn't miss a step, her face keeping a cool look of serenity, but she did give Dippler a sideways glance. "Is that so? Is this news important enough that we need to hear it as soon as possible, or is there enough time at least for me to put little Terra here to bed?"

She could not be sure, because he was not looking directly at her, but Song could have sworn she saw a trace of nervousness in those deep brown eyes. "It can wait a tad while I'd say, but not much." said Dippler, his voice steady and calm, not showing any of what had been in the eyes "I ain't sure what to make of it myself…just see to it that just you, Dann, an' any other you might think could keep a' clear head on their shoulders."

Song said nothing to that as they entered through the stout oak doorway and into the Great Hall. Sunlight angled down like multi-colored streaks of paint from the stained glass windows that lined the sides of the abbey's Great Hall. A pawfull of abbey dwellers either hustled about on daily chores, or sat reading scrolls or books along the many large tables that were orderly set up around the center of the abbey.

She had thought she'd have to track him down, but to Song's surprise Dann was standing at the opposite end of the hall, next to the great tapestry. Next to the warrior squirrel was his father Rusvul and Song's own father Janglur Swifeye.

Janglur was a surprisingly tall member of his species, dark and thick fur covering a well-muscled body that was wide enough to match his height. His eyes were what had been the downfall of more than one foe that had underestimated him. Hooded, they gave off the look of a creature near dozing and practically asleep. Only a fool, however, would assume that Janglur Swifeye was anything other than alert and ready for anything at any given moment.

Next to him Rusvul seemed short, but was no less strong, with thick arms and broad shoulders that seemed made from stone. Fur that as a shade or two lighter than Janglur's, Rusvul looked like an older more rugged Dannflor. You could never mistake whose son Dann was when he stood next to his father.

As they approached Dann spotted her and smiled turning and saying "Song, good timing as always I was just about to go look for you, seems that the ol' attic rafters are in need of some repair and I wanted to ask you…" he trailed off as his eyes slid over to regard the two shrews standing next to Song. Dann's reaction was almost a perfect mirror to Song's.

"Dippler! Haha! You ol' log rider, where've you been?"

"Ha, good to see you too Dann." Dippler winked at Song "See? At least _somebeast_ around here recognizes his pals."

There was of course a long series of heartfelt greetings among them, Dann giving Dippler a long hug and both Rusvul and Janglur patting the young Log-a-Log on the back. Tiv stood apart from it all, the young shrew looking a little shy to get involved in the reunion of old friends. "Yer lookin' fine and fit friend," said Rustle as he finished clapping Dippler heartily on his shoulder. The shrew seemed a bit embarrassed, but nodded thanks and kept up a smile. "All told I ain't too sure my wife would agree with ya. She's always tellin' me I'm too lazy for my own good."

Both Dann and Song balked at the same time, Song's eyes going a bit rounder and Dann looking like somebeast had just walked on thin air.

"You're _married_?" this from a still round eyed Song.

Dippler grinned and actually puffed out his chest a bit. "Why's that so suprisen'? Think a dashing young fellow like me can't get married if he's got a mind for it?"

Dann recovered rather quickly and gave a lopsided smile "If she was blind perhaps. If she was addle minded maybe. But you landing a wife who can see clearly and have all her wits together…that's stretchin' the bounds of possibility a bit ol' friend."

Dippler hunched down in mock defeat, making a comical little sniff "Oh, your all so mean to poor littl' Dippler."

Song broke into light musical laughter, like soft chimes ringing, and put a comforting arm around the shrew, "Awww, no hard feelings now." She punctuated this with a slight elbow to the ribs. "Hehe, but seriously though Dippler, who is she? Why didn't you bring her along?"

Dippler straightened up, his face suddenly going as hard and serious as steel in a forge. "Elise is with the rest of the Guosim, in charge while I'm gone. Which is a good thing since somebeast with a sharp mind needs to keep an eye on things there, and none ain't sharper than my Elise."

Both Janglur and Rusvul exchanged a glance with each other, both with a similar look on their faces. They knew what hard expressions like Dippler's meant. "An' why's it important to have an eye kept on things back with the Guosim?" asked Janglur, arms going across his chest and those hooded eyes becoming searching.

Dippler looked at the old squirrel warrior, then around at the surrounding Great Hall, "Perhaps where there ain't so many ears to hear the wrong words?" the shrew said.

There was a brief silence before Song nodded, gesturing with a paw. "Let's take this into Cavern Hole. I'll meet you there, but first I have to put little Terra here to bed."

The ratbabe had been very silent the whole time, gently snoozing against Song's neck and not paying the actions of the adults and mind. Janglur grinned and walked up to Song, hugging her briefly. "Fine with me daughter. Go on and put the little lass in with her brother, we'll wait for you."

Song smiled, nodding and turning to go towards the stairs with quick parting good-byes to the others. She did not miss, however, the quick darting look Rusvul gave her as she walked away. Or, more specifically, the look he gave Terra. She did not have to see it fully to know it had been a wary look at best, and a minor scowl at worst.

Janglur and the rest of her family had at first thought it more than a bit odd that Song had adopted the two ratbabes as her own. It hadn't taken more than a few weeks for them to embrace the idea, and Janglur often talked about his two 'grandchildren' with fondness, even finding Leon's antics as amusing more than anything else.

However had from day one appeared to harbor some sort of enmity towards Leon and Terra. He had never gone as far to openly speak it, but it showed that he thought that only trouble would come from two ratbabes being raised at the abbey. Dann for the most part manage to keep his father calm and as far as Song could tell nothing ever came of Rusvul's dislike for her two charges save for the occasional glower that she had just seen.

Still, it bothered Song. The elder Reguba was not the only one to share similar feelings of discomfort at the presence of the two young vermin inside Redwall. Sister Mayfield was just one other example. There were several other abbeydwellers who had voiced complaints, though most of those had been due to the twin's recent exploits than anything else. For the second time that day Song's thoughts strayed towards the way she had been raising the twins. Perhaps she was just a bit to lenient with them…

Opening the doorway into her room with that thought still hanging in her head like the remnants of a disturbing fog, she walked in. Thankfully Leon seemed to have actually listened to her and was fast asleep in his bed. Song wasted no time in taking Terra over to the washbasin near the window. She spent several minutes washing out the charcoal left over from the ratbabe's artistic play, and finishing that carefully placed Terra in the bed next to Leon's. The female ratbabe was much more complaint than her brother had been, but that was merely because she appeared to be genuinely tired. Terra's eyes closed halfway and she yawned, looking up as Song tucked the covers around her.

"You be a good girl and get some sleep now, okay?" said Song. Terra cooed again and her arms reached up, grasping. Song laughed lightly as she leaned down over the bed and gave the babe a quick hug. "Pleasant dreams." She whispered, and slowly rose. By the time Song reached the door Terra was asleep, and the Abbess of Redwall Abbey stood for a long moment by the door, looking at the two forms peacefully sleeping in identical small beds. Song was not really surprised when she saw, instead of two sleeping vermin, or even two sleeping ratbabes, she saw instead the sleeping forms of her son and daughter. With a content smile painting her features, she left the room. It was time to see just what news Dippler had brought to Redwall Abbey…


	4. Chapter 3 Flight Through Shatterd Pass

Chapter 3 Flight through Shattered Pass 

The sun mercilessly beat down upon the backs of the vermin. Dust was kicked up in great mots, forming a seemingly permanent haze around the small sea of creatures. From his vantage point up on the rocky slope that formed one side of the large mountain pass, Vaz Darkeye surveyed the procession with a look of annoyance stamped upon his grim visage.

Beside the hulking rat, Halftail and a score more of armed vermin stood. Like Vaz they were all garbed in pieced together bits of armor. A rough leather breastplate, a dented iron helmet here, not a one had anything that matched together. They also carried equally drab weaponry, mostly poorly worked swords, axes, and the occasional spear. Each one had shown at least a general enough competence that they had been paw picked by Vaz to act as his captains for this horde…this rabble, a term Vaz thought suited them better.

He had forgotten how long it had been since he had started this desperate plan. Having led his small shattered horde west into the mountains, he had hopped to merely get as far away from the great plains as possible, and hopefully without encountering and of that cursed legion of steel!

The only problem as that as time passed Vaz found that his horde had hardly been the only one to be attacked, and that in these mountains there were countless scores of vermin who had fled the onslaught of the steel demons. In small bands, and some not so small, they came, countless vermin who were leaderless and looking for any kind of sanctuary. And against his better judgment they had found it in Vaz Darkeye's ever growing horde.

This posed countless problems. First and foremost was the fact that there was simply not enough food in this region that could be scavenged to support this many creatures. Already dozens had fallen to starvation, and those still standing were so bone thin that they appeared to be walking skeletons than living creatures. Vaz imposed strict rations on whatever food they could find, trying to keep those who were still strong as fit as possible, and giving the rest to the starved masses.

It had gotten to the point that most preyed on each other more than anything else, the dead becoming just another source of meat. And food was not the only logistic problem Vaz faced. The weather up in the mountains was cold and unforgiving, and with no settlements to raid it was impossible to gather more clothing than what they had on their backs, and for many that consisted only of tattered rags and if one was lucky a hole filled pair of shoes.

To make matters worse sickness was a common problem, and many poor wretches feel as much to mere colds or coughs as to lack of food. So many creatures in so close quarters with very little of any available form of personal hygiene made for a perfect breeding ground for disease.

For a time Vaz and those he placed in charge managed to maintain order. Organizing the so-called horde into one large marching line that spread for almost a mile, Vaz's 'captains' kept the line moving and in relative order. Vaz conscripted creatures still in good health to be soldiers, arming them with whatever weapons they had salvaged from the throng of refugee's. The soldiers, about a dozen under each captain, made sure that the horde did not dissolve into a mob. At times, though, Vaz was convinced it was more just the demonstration of even illusionary order that kept the lot of them in line, instead of any real possible order that his 'army' could actually keep.

Things had changed drastically not more than an hour past, when a group of stragglers that were being left behind had suddenly come running with renewed vigor. Wild shouts of the 'Steel Monsters!' from the stragglers soon sent a panic through the horde that Vaz knew he'd never be able to control. Like a wave of flesh the mile long mass of vermin were fleeing. To compound the problem they had come upon a narrow pass through the mountain, making it so only a few could get through at any one time. This created a huge backup, a massive flowing crowd of creatures at the bottleneck of the pass, each shouting and pushing to get through.

In the pass itself was no better, as Vaz could see from where he stood up high on the slope. Crazed with fright vermin dashed along the canyon floor, carrying whatever belongings they could clutched to their chests or strapped over their backs. If more than two-thirds of that mass were not females or young, Vaz might have attempted to army the lot and turn them about to face the foe. From what he'd heard there really weren't that many of the steel beasts pursuing them, barely more than a hundred…but memory of the blood those monsters could spill was firmly etched in many of the mind's of the vermin and Vaz knew that it was unlikely he would have been able to convince any more than the bravest or most foolish make a stand. And assuming he could have, with the few bits of armor his 'soldiers' had and even fewer decent weapons, Vaz doubted they would last long against the blasted woodlanders.

And that led to why he was standing up here with his captains, Halftail looking particularly nervous as the large rat turned to look at all of them.

"Alright now, you all be knowin' what the plan is?"

There were a few doubtful looks among them, but for the most part each nodded or gave some sort of acknowledgement that they understood what was to be done. Vaz didn't particularly care if they fully understood the plan, just as long as his orders were carried out. There was no time for questions.

"Right then, get a' movin'! Don't none of ya be doing anything else till' I give the signal!"

With that the band quickly dispersed, running to their positions along the loose rock formations along the canyon wall. At each of these positions a group of a dozen strong backed vermin picked out of the horde by Vaz waited with stout wooden poles.

Vaz himself was followed by Halftail as they too took up a position near one of the looser rock formations. The whole plan was risky at best, and none too polished, but Vaz couldn't think of anything better and they were out of time. Even now he could make out in the distance to the east the tell-tale glint of metal that meant those steel clad bastards were on their way. The flowing mob through the canyon seemed like a slow trickle to Vaz from where he watched it, and there were just too many still trying to get in at the bottleneck for there to be any chance that all would get through before those monsters arrived.

"How long should we wait chief?" asked Halftail, shifting on his footpaws nervously. Vaz snorted and said, "As long as we can be affordin' to do so. Might as well be lettin' as many as possible get themselves through the canyon."

And so they waited. Minutes seemed to stretch out into hours as they stood there under the scorching rays of the sun, with clouds of kicked up dust getting into their noses and fur, causing some to go into coughing fits. As miserable as the wait was Vaz knew it was twice as bad down below in the horde, with all those creatures crowded together in a panic. The thought made him all the more set in his belief that his plan was for the best. It would cut down on their numbers and help ease the pressure on their food supply.

Just as minutes became a full hour and it seemed like two-thirds of the massive horde had made it's way through the canyon a few shouts from the nearby vermin caused Vaz to look back to the east. There was no mistaking that line of gleaming silver. There could not have been that many, barely more than a hundred Vaz would guess…but the sight of those woodlanders, those merciless steel woodlanders, caused an even greater panic among those vermin who were still not in the canyon. Shouts and screams doubled and it seemed the ground itself shook with the frantic press to get through the bottleneck.

His expression set to that of stone, Vaz drew himself up "It be time. Send the signal."

Halftail nodded with a visible gulp and drew a blade, holding high in the air and reflecting the sunlight off it towards the group further down the line. Vaz did likewise to another group, and quickly the signal was spread to all the teams at each position. Now with the signal given, Vaz and each of the other vermin around him took up wooden poles. Each side of the canyon had these large sloping rock formations, most likely long forgotten rock slides. Vaz intended to make good use of them.

Poles dug into the crevasse around the looser rocks and with their newfound leverage the vermin started to pull. For a time nothing happened, just a warm wind blowing through the canyon. Then, gradually, there was a loud grinding sound as rocks started to come free. Vaz was the first to free a rock, a huge boulder nearly half his size and probably twice his weight, but the muscular rat prevailed and soon the rock was sent bouncing down the slope, shaking loose lesser rocks upon it's path. Instants latter more rocks followed, broken free by the other vermin. Soon the other teams on both sides of the canyon started to pry loose boulders and it was not long before the rumble of the fleeing horde was replaced by a far louder rumble of renewed rockslides.

Vaz, along with the other vermin on the slopes, were quick to scramble up to the more solid ground of the canyon top. From there they all turned to watch the carnage below with mixed looks of awe, fear, and on a rare few, disgust. For those on the canyon floor who had not gone far enough through, there was nothing to do but watch in terror as it seemed like the whole canyon wall descended upon them. The screams were sickening, the sights even worse and many of those watching looked down or away…but not Vaz Darkeye.

It had been his plan, his decision...so he forced himself to watch the results. He was surprised in fact that when the rumble stopped and the thick mist of dust cleared, that a fair number had actually managed to survive. Now where the canyon mouth had been there was a towering wall of fallen rocks that sealed up a good fourth of the canyon floor. Among these rocks there were actually a few vermin picking themselves from the rubble and either limping or hobbling towards the rest of the horde as it cleared the canyon to the west.

The survivors did not hold Vaz's attention for long, however, as new screams started to permeate the air. A third of the horde had still been left behind when the small army of those vicious woodlanders arrived on the scene. Vaz looked and felt blood draining from his face as he watched the cold, calculated precision of how those woodlanders started to systematically slay the remaining vermin. Something about it just…felt wrong to the rat warlord. He was used to seeing death, even slaughter, but this…this went beyond that. The woodlanders moved as one unit, one large circle that twisted through the screaming mob, and in it's wake only blood and death were left behind. Inside the circle Vaz could see that a pawfull of woodlanders were directing things, giving orders that were followed immediately and to the exact letter. It was incredible that any army could posses that kind of discipline. The entire idea seemed ludicrous to Vaz, and he wondered how it was even possible to train creatures to obey like that without the use of absolute fear as the tool to insure loyalty.

Shaking his head in wonderment, or disgust, or perhaps both, he turned from the sight and looked at Halftail. The ferret was also pale faced, but at least he wasn't shaking. "Get the captains back on their jobs." Said Vaz, "We're going to be needn' to regroup on the other side of the canyon. That pile a' rocks won't hold off them bastards forever, so we need to be movin' as soon as possible."

Halftail had a dulled expression on his face, but his voice was surprisingly clear. "Yes chief, at once."

As the ferret turned to bark out orders, Vaz took one last look at the gruesome scene below. It seemed like the woodlanders had finished their slaughter and were mopping up the remnants of the horde as prisoners. What they planned to do with those prisoners Vaz did not want to know. Blowing out a low growl he wheeled from the sight and stalked past Halftail, heading along the canyon top towards where his horde was awaiting somebeast to lead it. He'd clear up any confusion and get them all moving, moving as fast as they could west...west and away from this blighted blood soaked land.

Vincent's nose wrinkled at the stench. Not that he was unused to it but it seemed that no matter how many times you experienced it the smell of butchered bodies cooking under a noonday sun never became less stomach wrenching. And the fact that these Unclean had stank as badly in life as they did now in death made not for a pleasant experience as the First Captain picked this way through the carpet of bodies, his steel boots making a loud squishing noise in the ground. With the blood of so many slain in it the dry dirt of the mountain valley floor had become almost like mud, a sickening red mud.

It had been almost too easy, dispatching so many Unclean, but this had been even more of arable than usual. Exhausted, mostly unarmed, and panicked as well, they had been easy targets for Vincent's well disciplined company.

It was unfortunate that the Unclean had had the competence to block the Legionbeast's path further by causing the rockslide. Vincent did not like thinking that any of the Unclean could have that kind of foresight. It would take his company days to clear away the rocks. Going around the canyon was not an option for it would take even longer than clearing enough of the rockslide to get through.

Vincent's Second, Corporal Ulgart Bram, came walking up beside the otter. Bram stood a good head shorter than Vincent, not uncommon for a mouse, but he wore a demeanor that made others forget his height instantly. His long nose always slightly turned upright, with his slanted blue eyes always seeming to stare, Bram kept an air of supreme confidence, as if he knew that he was right were he belonged. He also had the air of one who was used to giving the commands and expecting them to be obeyed. Ulgart Bram had not taken entirely kindly to having a high-ranked First Captain come down and take his company out on some wild hunt of rouge Unclean. Clad fully in the silver plate-mail of the Legion, the sword and sun crest proudly displayed on chest and helmet, Bram did have the look of a dedicated Legionbeast.

"If it would please the First Captain, would he come with me to see to the prisoners?" from Bram's haughty tone the mouse obviously possessed no doubt that it _would _please the First Captain.

Vincent held back a sigh and nodded his head, gesturing with one gauntleted paw for Bram to lead the way through the tangle of corpses. The company, a hundred and thirty-two beasts in total, waited in a straight double ranked line near base of the huge rock pile that blocked the way into the canyon where the majority of the Unclean had fled. A small group of the filthy things stood tied together a dozen paces from the Legionbeasts, placed there upon their capture.

Bram walked past the side of the company's line, turning and walking down its length to its center, Vincent calmly following behind. Reaching the center, Bram stopped and made a steady about face. Vincent stopped as well, eyeing the ragged line of Unclean.

They had been taken almost as a formality than anything else. After the mob had stopped its panic and had merely turned to begging for their lives Vincent had ordered as many to be rounded up as possible. Of course a few overzealous Legionbeasts had cut down a few extra Unclean, a little excessive but Vincent could not fault them since these things were after all just Unclean. Vincent wanted a few alive at least to question as to where their fellows who had fled might be going and who was in charge of them. All in all a few had now totaled to perhaps three score of the pathetic things.

As Vincent looked he saw that most were female or young, few males had been suffered to live long it seemed. They were clothed in rags that were so stained, tattered, and dirt ridden that it practically blended in with those filth covered bodies. Huddled so close together, shivering, females clutching wailing young, they did look every inch the wretched things that Vincent had been taught his whole life to hate. It was the Unclean that had ravaged the land so long ago, savagely destroying all in their path. Without the blessed Light brought by the great family of the Lightstripes, then Vincent's ancestors would have remained slaves and the Imperium, may its glory never fade, would never have been created.

One of the Unclean, a male, Vincent identified the species as weasel, shouted something, perhaps at him. Vincent did not know what it was, had no desire to learn their corrupted language, but he gestured to Bram.

"Get Jai up here, she can translate as we question."

Bram saluted, arms crossed over chest, "As you command my Captain." And walked down the line until he came upon a stocky female squirrel. Jai Owens was young for one of the Legion. Exotic jade eyes peered out from a dainty triangle of a face. Vincent supposed she might be considered 'pretty' among squirrels, though that big dusty brown bush of a tail did nothing for him. Vincent preferred a good strong plank tail on his females. He grinned slightly, wondering what Ralmsa would say if he knew Vincent let himself be distracted by such thought. The otter almost laughed, knowing the aged Lord Commander would probably encourage Vincent just to see the young otter squirm.

Bram came to a halt in front of Vincent, standing at attention. Jai was right behind him, saluting the First Captain. Vincent noticed she was actually smiling and seemed altogether more cheerful than the situation would allow.

"And what does Private Jai Owens find amusing?" Asked Vincent in a cool tone.

Jai's smile faded a tad, but just a tad. She shifted as if nervous but her voice was calm enough, and clear as the chiming bells of the Great Cathedral back in the capital.

"Begging my First Captain's pardon, it's just that this was my first assignment you see and…" she trailed off, giving a shrug of her oddly broad shoulders and letting her smile brighten a bit. Vincent raised an eyebrow, "I see. And you find the smell after a purging to your liking?" Not that Vincent doubted the need for these purges of the Unclean, but he did not smile in the aftermath. Jai shook her head, a firmer look taking a home in her jade eyes. "No, of course not sir…but…but this _is_ what I have spent my whole youth training for. It is my honor to be doing the work of the Light and the Imperium here today."

Vincent managed not to snort. Her _youth_ could not have been more than half a season ago. "Very well. Private Jai, I need your expertise in the translation of the tongue of the Unclean."

Jai saluted again, "As you command so I obey."

Vincent looked to Bram and nodded. The mouse practically hopped as he shouted out orders to a detail of the company. Four Followers marched forward to the crowd of Unclean, the lot of which seemed to flinch away, trying to press themselves further against the wall of fallen rocks.

Out of the prisoners the four brought out a pair, one male and one female. The male was a rat, tall and lanky, with wiry limbs. It wore a dirt encrusted green jacket and torn trousers. Vincent guessed its age at around forty years by the bits of gray in it's fur. The female was significantly younger, probably not more than twenty. It was a ferret, about half a head shorter than the rat and so rail thin it might not have eaten in days. Bristly dark fur made it's even darker eyes seem like black pits. Vincent frowned. Those eyes held a lot of challenge for a ragged and brain dead Unclean who had it's paws tied to it's sides.

Brought in front of Vincent, the two Unclean were made to kneel with swift kicks from the guarding Followers. Bram looked at the two with unhidden disgust, and Jai still had that eager and cheerful look.

"Ask them where it was they were going before we took them." Vincent ordered Jai. The squirrel nodded and a stream of garbled and odd sounded words came out of her mouth, directed at the two Unclean who were on their knees. Both Unclean's eyes went wide upon hearing Jai speak. The rat breathed something under its breath and the female looked like she wanted to spit at something. When it became apparent neither was going to talk out of surprise, Vincent nodded to one of the guards, who promptly hit the rat on the back of the head. Not hard enough to knock out, but hard enough to remind it that it was supposed to _answer_ the question.

It babbled in its barbaric language for a little while. Jai listened, and translated to Vincent. "It says that it doesn't know where the lot of them was going, just that this Vaz it mentioned was leading them west away from the mountains."

Vincent's paws crossed over his chest and his brow creased in thought. "Vaz? Ask if that is their leader."

Again the strange mess of words left Jai's mouth and this time the rat was quick to speak. The ferret on the other paw had no lost its look of defiance, and Vincent was beginning to find the female annoying.

"It said that Vaz Darkeye is the one in charge of them, a rat apparently."

Bram spat in disgust. Mice carried a special dislike of rats, and the Followers were even more fanatic in that dislike than normal Imperium citizens. "Then the filth have no leadership at all my First Captain. I think we've learned I we need to from these things, they obviously don't really know anything of importance and with a _rat_," Bram made the word sound a curse of the worst kind "leading the rest of that lot who escaped I doubt they'll get far."

Vincent eyed the mouse with a level gaze. A cold and hard gaze. "I hear your words Corporal and will take them under advisement. However, I shall be the one to decide when these Unclean have told all that they can."

Bram stiffened, but the mouse swallowed his pride and stood quietly as Vincent continued the questioning. Despite what he had said, Vincent knew that there was little else that the Unclean could tell him. A few more questions revealed that there were maybe up to ten thousand of the Unclean, a number which made Vincent wonder just how many of these things might have actually escaped into the mountains. It was a daunting number, but nothing Vincent worried much about. It would warrant a stop by the 11th Legion, which Vincent new was encamped twelve miles to the south by the base of the mountains. He could requisition another company or two there and be back here to clear the landslide in two days. His orders had not specified acquiring more troops, but under the circumstances Vincent was sure Lord Commander Ralmsa would agree that it was a warranted precaution.

He was about to order the two Unclean to be placed back among their kind when the female snarled and spat out a stream of words.

"What did it just say?" Vincent asked, an amused smile planting itself on his face. Jai gave him a nervous look and translated. "It said…that it doesn't matter how many of them we…we murdering bastards kill…" Jai swallowed, hard, "It says one day they will gather together and fight us and murder us as we murder them."

Vincent threw back his head and laughed. So, this female Unclean though that it's corrupt and disfigured kind could ever match the Legions of the Light? An idea brewed in the otter's head, one he found to his liking. Vincent's paw went to the scabbard on his right hip, and with a chill ring of steel his long sword came free. The female flinched, but it's steady dark eyes kept defiance in them as he approached. In a flash of sunlight of metal Vincent swung his blade, veering clear over the female's head and in one quick swoop removing the head of the rat next to the female. The surprise on the rat's decapitated head as it rolled on the ground only served to heighten Vincent's amusement.

"Tell it," he said to Jai "That I personally intend to show it the error of its words. Bram, have this female ready to march with us when we leave." The mouse's face tightened as if to argue but was stopped by a single look from Vincent. "As you say so shall I obey." Said Bram with a salute and bow. "And what of the others?" the mouse asked, indicating the other prisoners who were now all looking on in fright upon seeing the rat's grisly demise.

"We cannot afford to take _too_ many prisoners with us," Vincent said with a rueful smile "Purge them. Have the rest of the company prepare to march."

Those were orders the mouse had no qualms in obeying. Soon most of the company was formed up, prepared to march. They stood in neat ordered lines by the detail, each of which numbered a score. Between the intervals were the wood wagons drawn by the larger more burly members of the company stripped of armor down to the waist. The wagons carried tents, supplies, food, water, and spare weapons and arrows all under tanned canvas lashed tight with rope.

Vincent was by the lead wagon, awaiting Bram to finish business by the rockslide while he watched a Follower tie up the only prisoner Unclean a iron peg in the wagon's side. The female ferret was a satisfying site to behold, though Vincent, seeing the look of horror in its eyes mixed with that oddly enjoyable defiance. He realized the female likely could hear the screams echoing down the valley from the canyon mouth. Where Bram and a detail of Followers were conducting their purge of the Unclean. Vincent closed his eyes, savoring those sounds and savoring the look of anguish on the ferret's face even more when he opened them again. Yes, he would show this spirited Unclean just how grievously wrong it's words were. Vincent imagined taking this prisoner Unclean with him during the entire campaign, forcing it to watch as its kin were cut down one by one by the glorious Legions of the Light. A voice in the back of his mind shouted caution, that this was foolishness what he was doing. He ignored it, seeing no harm one mere Unclean could do bound and tied to wagon.

Noticing that the faint screams had ceased Vincent looked to see that Bram and the rest of the company was returning. It was time to go. "Make sure those bonds are tight," he told the Follower as the male squirrel finished tied the ropes on the ferret, "and get to your detail quickly."

The squirrel bowed and saluted, scurrying off to his comrades. Vincent looked to give the ferret a final departing cold grin, but found the ferret was smiling at him. A smile that was disturbingly honest to be matched with those dark eyes. Odd but those eyes almost seemed to hold fire in them. Vincent dismissed it as just another part of a misplaced look of defiance and walked away to take his place at the head of the company. What Vincent Clive did not see, what he should have seen, was that in those eyes was a solemn promise of his own death.

Teresa didn't know that pain could be felt anywhere but on the outside. Now she knew better. Her chest felt like a great paw was squeezing her heart and would not let go. Her stomach roiled and she felt as if she was about to sick up. _Nibs…oh Nibs…I hope your somewhere better than where I am now._ The thoughts were bitter and brought new sobs to the young female ferret's throat. Her little brother was probably dead, along with all the others. Slimpaw had sung like a blue jay when those bloody woodlanders asked their questions, but Teresa would not have wished death on him. At least his death had been quick.

Teresa had been fleeing for what felt like an eternity, fleeing with her brother along with all the countless other vermin. She had no real family to speak of, just Nibs, who was such a quiet and sickly one. Had been. Another sob racked her chest as she staggered alongside the wagon, her paws bound together in front of her and leashed to an iron peg in its side.

Her paws ached at how tight the bonds were, the rope digging into her fur and skin, drawing blood. Her legs ached, a fiery pain that throbbed with each passing moment. Her middle felt hollow with hunger and her mouth dry as sand for need of water. It was unthinkable to her that "They" could march like this under that unrelenting sun.

Ahead and behind her that despicable line of monsters marched like a uncaring steel wave. They were a thing Teresa could never have imagined in her worst nightmare. And she was in the thick of them. Somehow that gave her some small measure of contentment. She was alive and as long as she clung onto that she might just have a chance to pay each and every one of them back for what they did. _Especially_ that otter. The thought of his throat clenched firmly between her paws was part of what kept Teresa firmly placing one footpaw in front of the other when her exhaustion continually demanded she stop.

At the moment escape seemed impossible, and Teresa could see no good it would do even if she could get away from this lot. In this land she'd likely starve to death by herself in less than a week. As a prisoner she at least could count on that she'd be kept alive, if not well taken care of. She clung to that, even as her footpaws started to blister and her head started to feel light from the heat. As long as she lived she would have her chance at vengeance. It was just a matter of how long it took for her captors to make a mistake…


	5. Chapter 4 A Shadow in the Night

Chapter 4 A Shadow in the Night 

The late afternoon sun looked to be a perfect golden ball is it slowly made it's decent over the horizon to the west of Redwall Abbey. It's last streams of light cast long and narrow shadows and made the thick trees of Mossflower Woods appear like a soft green carpet that rolled and wavered under the touch of the chill wind that swept in from the north.

Songbreeze stood on the west wall of the abbey, watching the sun set and letting her thoughts wander. Try as she might to let her thoughts step around the events in Cavern Hole, she found her mind kept running back to the unsettling news Dippler had brought to Redwall.

"Hordes," Dippler said, his face drawn tightly into a blank expression, trying to hide the grim sund behind his words, "Dozens of 'em, moving right on through Mossflower Woods like the Lord of Hellgates was after 'em. Me and my Guosim ran into the first batch o' the blighters not more than a few days ago. We were ready for a brawl but them vermin went right on past us. I sent scouts out after that and from what they saw it looks like the whole of the eastern lands is coughing up its whole vermin population."

_ "This is unheard of…" muttered Janglur, almost to himself. "Why would so many Hordes just start moving? And you say they just ignored you Guosim?"_

_ Dippler nodded, sinking back in the stout oak chair. Cavern Hole was the customary meeting place for those of Redwall, a cozy and well constructed lower chamber, it had served as both a hall for councils and a place of refuge in troubled times for the creatures of the abbey. Dannflorr, Songbreeze, Janglur, Rusvul, and Dippler were all seated at one of the large varnished tables against the far wall. _

_ "Not entirely ignored," Dippler admitted, "A few smaller bands took pot shots at us, a few badly organized raids, but nothing serious. With so many vermin out there they could of overrun us easily but from what I saw they just don't have any solid leadership. Most of 'em aren't even fighters by the look, and I doubt among a score of 'em they got only a pawfull of weapons. Whatever this is it ain't an attack…they're fleeing from something."_

_ Rusvul leaned forward in his chair, his expression like stone but his eyes shining with an intense light that could be heard in his voice. "I might not know much about vermin ways, but the only time I've ever seen them move like this is when it's for an attack. It could be that some vermin warlord's been gathering up a big enough Horde that all the smaller ones are running."_

_ "That's certainly possible," said Dann, scratching his chin thoughtfully "But something doesn't add up father. Think of it for a second, if what Dippler says is right then there's got to be at least a few thousand vermin on the run, and that's just what's been seen so far. Maybe a warlord conquering all the other Hordes could cause a few smaller Hordes to run off, but not thousands at once. No, I got a gut feeling that something out east has stirred up enough fright in the vermin that they'd do anything to get away."_

_ "Still," said Janglur, "It's not unlikely that with so many vermin passing through at least a few will get the idea to do a bit of raiding while they go. Redwall is a tempting target and with _thousands_ of vermin, I wouldn't put it past a fair number thinking it a grand idea to try their luck at us."_

_ Rusvul nodded agreement, "If they do I can have a nice little ol' welcome for them. With so many youngbeasts in the abbey now and all the weapons left over from last season we can shut this place up and make sure not a single vermin gets in fifty paces of our wall without a fist full a' sling stones or arrows to make them think twice."_

_ Songbreeze sighed loudly in her chair. Her face looked almost, resigned. "Rusvul, we're not here to talk about fighting a war. These vermin are obviously scarred of something, and only want to get away from whatever it is that frightened them. It's not impossible that some might even ask for _sanctuary_ here in the abbey. Let's not forget why Redwall is here. I want it to be known to all those living in Mossflower that our gates are open if any want to take shelter, and that offer extends to any of the vermin."_

_ Rusvul looked to be ready to say something but Song continued "I understand your concern. I have no objection to being prepared for the worst, but let's hope for the best. _If_ we are attacked, we will respond in kind, but we will not be the ones to shoot first."_

_ Looking ashamed, though just a small amount so, Rusvul rested back in his chair, "Of course Abbess, I did not mean to imply we start loosing arrows at every vermin that came up the path. I just want us to be prepared."_

_ "And we shall be, in fact I would expect nothing less from a Reguba. You and Dann can go about any preparations you deem needed to protect Redwall," she smiled then at a polite cough from her father, "And of course you dad."_

_ Janglur returned her smile, though Song noted her father's face had taken on it's warrior's visage, grim determination. The meeting broke up soon after that. Dippler stayed behind with Dann to go over the details of what the shrew knew of these Hordes, specifically about location of groups and the condition of each. Janglur and Rusvul left, going off to plan the abbey's defenses no doubt. Which left Songbreeze to her own devices…and her own thoughts._

She had not really made much progress on the problem that faced her. She already had decided that she would make the official announcement of the news Dippler had brought after breakfast the next day. And while she busied her mind with picking and choosing the words she'd use to bring this disturbing news to those of the abbey, a back corner of her mind continued to speak to her of a matter that Song could not ignore.

The twins, they had been brought here by a wounded creature who was fleeing from something, not unlike the Hordes that now were roving through Mossflower. Song could not help but wonder if somewhere among those vermin was the other parent to her two charges. What if some vermin did indeed ask for shelter in the abbey, and among them was the twin's father, or another relative? Would they want the two ratbabes back? Could Song bring herself to give them up if they did?

It seemed foolish to Song that she would be so worried over that in light of such a large possible threat to Redwall. She was of course disturbed by the idea that so many vermin would be passing close to her abbey, but she held confidence in Dann. Though Abbey Warrior for only the same short time Song was Abbess, he had already learned much from his father and Janglur Swifteye. The three of them combined were a strong force and Song knew they could handle the abbey's defense as well as anybeast alive. And on top of that the abbey was indeed now full of the young and strong, and any band of vermin would find the abbey no easy target.

In truth it was not the Hordes that worried her, or even the possibility of having to give up Leon and Terra, though the thought of that made her heart ache like it was wreathed in a thorn bush. No, what truly was bothering the Abbess or Redwall was that somehow there was something out there so terrible, so powerful and frightening, that it had _thousands _of vermin marching with apparently no intention of stopping until they reached the ocean.

Songbreeze knew Redwall could weather vermin attacks, but unlike the vermin Redwall could not pick up its footpaws and shuffle off. Whatever was driving the vermin was coming this way, and Redwall would still be standing right where it was when that force arrived.

"A scone for your thoughts?" came a familiar voice to her right.

Song turned her head, a content smile painting her face as her paw came up to catch the scone that Dann tossed to her as he walked up beside her. The warrior squirrel looked surprisingly composed and calm, as if he had not a care in the world, as if Redwall might not be facing another war. She had always admired that quality in him. Even when things looked their worst Dann could be counted on to keep his head and inspire confidence in you with a simple relaxed smile.

"You missed dinner," he said, "So I thought I'd bring some of it to you, though with that Wilffachop fellow around there wasn't much dinner left to be brought." Song noticed he carried a small tray with a pitcher of cider on it and a small assortment of pastries and a bowl of salad.

"Thank you Dann," she said, accepting the tray and setting it on the red stone rampart in front of her, "I'm amazed there was this much left with that hare sitting at the table."

Florian Dugglewoof Wilffachop was the self-proclaimed leader of the Wandering Noonvale Companions. A troupe of actors and performers that had seemingly taken an extended residence in the abbey. Their presence was hardly minded, and more often than not they livened life in the abbey tenfold. But of course that also meant that with a hare like Florian about it was likely the abbey's food stores depleted ten times faster.

Song was just glad that Dann had managed to get any spare food past the ravenous hare. More than glad in fact as she bit into one of the scones with enthusiasm. She hadn't realized just how hungry she was.

Dann stood by her side and waited patiently while she ate, making small talk about the casual happenings of the abbey, how Alora wanted to go out to procure more medicinal herbs soon, that Garlin had finished up with repairing the infirmary doors, Cregga was again requesting more help with the dibbuns since so many more had been brought to the abbey over the past season. Song relaxed and let the flow of words drown out her worries for the time being. She really did appreciate what Dann was trying to do, but with a resigned sigh she set aside the now empty tray and looked at Dann full in the eyes.

The young squirrel looked back at her with simple confidence radiating from his deep brown eyes. It made Song feel a little awkward, him staring at her so, but it reassured her as well. He was doing all he could to support her in what was becoming troubled times.

"What did you learn from Dippler?" she asked in as level a tone as she could muster.

Dann rested back against the ramparts and said in a perfectly casual voice, "Nothing much more really. At best he guesses that at least two-thirds of the vermin out there are just tired and ragged refugees, few even armed and less looking like they'd have the spirit for it. As for the rest, Dippler said they had the look of starving and desperate creatures, and you know just as well as I Song what desperate creatures are capable of."

Song nodded slowly, her eyes resting on the floor, and a slow wind ruffled her fur and habit. She did not like admitting it, but even with her father and Rusvul directing defenses and Dann leading what Song was sure would be an all too willing but untrained group of young abbeybeasts in that defense, Redwall might not be able to survive if even a portion of ten _thousand_ vermin decided the abbey was too tempting a target to pass up. Even in the worst of times the abbey had never faced such odds.

She looked up as she felt Dann's paw rest on her shoulder. He was wearing that familiar old smile, and it made something inside Song warm upon seeing it.

"No need to get that serious look on your face Song," said Dann, keeping the smile "Whatever comes our way you can count on all of us here to back you up every step of the way, you know that. And I know for a fact you got enough strength in you to outlast all the rest of us combined. So don't worry, come what may Redwall will survive."

Song didn't say anything, couldn't think of anything _too_ say. She wanted to believe what he said, she knew she should considering what they'd been through together in the past, but a small nagging doubt still festered in the back of her mind. A season as Abbess was hardly enough it seemed to prepare her for all she would need to do if things ever did come to a war and it wasn't her ability to fight personally that she questioned, but her willingness to order others to fight and quite probably die. Could she bring herself as Abbess, even in such a dire situation, to look upon creatures she knew and cared about and make decisions that might get them killed?

And what of the twins? Song had come no closer to an answer on that than she had when she'd first started letting the concept roll around in her mind. She did not want to give them up, they were so important to her now. She knew she wasn't their real mother but the more she listened to what her heart was telling her the more she began to realize that the way she cared for them was not much different than if they were of her own flesh and blood. The mere thought of curious Leon and pure hearted Terra no longer being in her life made her want to scream.

She hadn't notice that she'd been crying, that Dannflorr had wrapped his warm and strong arms around her and was murmuring slow comforting words to her. She didn't really hear the words, and for a wonder felt no compulsion to pull away from that embrace. Feeling exhausted suddenly and curious as to why that warmth inside her kept growing, she buried her face in Dann's shoulder and let her tears flow freely like small crystal shards in the dusk sunlight.

"Goodnight Dann, and thank you. Tomorrow morning if you can I want you to start taking an inventory of our food supply. If we are going to start housing half of Mooslfower we will need to be prepared."

Dann looked at Song in wonder. She had composed herself quite quickly up on the wall, though he would have been glad to hold her well into the night had she wished. Now calm and cool, Songbreeze straightend her habit and stood tall, looking ever inch the Abbess of Redwall save for the slight redness around her eyes. Dann could not help but think that she looked…graceful, in that posture.

"Sure thing Song, I'll have Mortran scribe up a list while I count off to him, that moles got a better hand for writing than anybeast else in the abbey."

Song nodded in a detached way, her eyes not seeming to really see Dann. "Of course," she said softly "By then it won't matter, the abbey will know." She seemed to snap out of wherever she'd been and looked a little embarrassed, the image of the all-wise Abbess slipping back into that of just Songbreeze. "Well…goodnight."

Dann watched as she turned and walked up the stairs towards her quarters. Once she was out of sight he started across the Great Hall, intending to head back out into the courtyard. He decided that if he was going to get a inventory of the whole abbey's storerooms he'd best get an early start on it. He wasn't tired anyway and chances were Montran, being the incessant day sleeper that he was the mole was likely up and about in his customary spot by the abbey's small south gate. The mole had for quite some time now been fumbling about the idea of reinforcing the gate and modifying it so that it would open only from the inside. Being a almost paranoid stickler for security the mole was convinced the south gate was a " 'ole n' th' permitor' ans' n' needin' o' a gud fixin' uper wit propor thinymagigs an' doodads."

Dann was not looking particularly forward to spending what was likely going to be several long hours with the mole, listening to Montran's almost constant chatter, but he had to admit he wouldn't mind the distraction. As long as he wasn't sleeping he wouldn't think about Song. Whenever he closed his eyes it seemed he would see her face, and if she knew half of his dreams involving her chances were she'd boot him right out the abbey and be perfectly right in doing it. Dann felt no lack of shame for thinking of a friend in such a way, even though he didn't think he was consciously doing it.

Halfway across the courtyard Dann's eye caught movement near the gatehouse. Like a shadow upon shadow Dann could see just the slightest outline of a creature slowly and deliberately moving with careful steps towards the gatehouse, as if planning to sneak out. Dann didn't think that whoever it was that they'd seen him, and he continued walking as if he hadn't seen. No reason to alert the intruder that they'd been spotted.

Very slowly and as natural as he could make it look, Dann altered his course, trying to get behind the moving shadow without drawing attention to himself. Even getting closer he could not really make out any details behind the shape, just short and roughly like a otter, maybe a mouse though with the lake of a plank tail. Or maybe…

Dann circled around until he was following the form now, moving in the shadows himself as he followed the intruder. The dark form that looked as if black had been painted upon black reached the door to the gatehouse and Dann could hear the slight click as something metallic was placed into the lock. He almost smiled, knowing now that this was definitely no abbeydweller. No one living in Redwall would ever assume that any of the doors were locked save the final one outside and that one rarely enough.

The intruder didn't see the squirrel's charge until he was close, but Dann was surprise by how fast the shadowy form moved, deftly stepping out of the way of his charge and darting off towards the stairs leading up the wall.

"Intruder! Intruder in the abbey!" Dann called as he gave chase, his legs pumping wildly to keep pace with the shadowy form. By the Spirit of Martin whoever it was they were _fast_! It took Dann moving at a full sprint just to keep the form in sight as it launched itself up the stairs and sped down the wall.

Dann was just barely hearing the start of movement in the abbey grounds, creatures responding to his call, when he finally managed to catch up to the intruder. The form had stopped by one of the ramparts and fiddled with something on the ground that Dann suspected to be rope when with a heaving push of his footpaws he flung himself at the shadow.

He felt his own body connect with that of another's, somebeast wearing _very_ little clothing and with a particularly slim and curved frame that identified the creature as female. A high pitched voice screeched in his ear as claws started scratching at him.

"Le me go! Ah' ain't done nothin' to ya! Get offa me ya big oaf! Doncha' know nothin' 'bout how ta treat a lady?"  
Dann held her down with the weight in his legs, using his arms to restrain her arm's wild flailing. And he blinked in utter shock. It was another _squirrel_!

Dann looked down upon a gaunt face that was slim and gaunt, almost as if she hadn't eaten for a long time. Deep set eyes gazed up at him with fiery intensity, their sapphire blue color seeming to blaze with anger. A slight scar, like a gray blemish, ran across her throat, as if some time ago somebeast had tried to cut it open but hadn't quite gotten enough strength in the cut for it to do more than leave that scar.

Dann was so distracted fully by her that he didn't prepare himself in time when she kicked up with one knee. She caught him right between the legs. With a grunt he feel to the side, gasping for breath.

"Ha! Serves ya right fer tryin' ta take advantage o' a helpless lady! Hmph!"

Dann glared up at her in indignation, and saw that she had the gall to _smile_ at him! Take _advantage_? Why the nerve of…and _she_ was the one who was slinking about in the shadows like some confounded Marlfox! He was about to say as much, opening his mouth with the words ready on his tongue, but instead his mouth just hung open gaping and his eyes went wide.

She didn't have a tail! No wonder he hadn't been able to recognize the shadow as a squirrel. Where a big bushy tail should have been was only a slight bump of a stump. Also he saw that her fur was almost completely pitch black, such a unusual color for a squirrel, but perfect if you wanted to move around at night without being seen. It was then Dann noticed the next odd thing about her…she wasn't wearing any cloths.

The dynamics of the situation completely forgotten under a wave of embarrassment Dann stood up straight and turned around, barely noticing the ache between his legs, babbling. "M-my apologies marm, didn't know you were…uh…indecent."

He heard her scoff again; muttering something under her breath Dann did not understand but guessed was some kind of very un-ladylike curse. A few seconds passed and the sound of creatures running up the stairs towards Dann reminded him of the situation and that she was the intruder and he had no reason to be polite to her.

Wheeling around and planning to detain her, cloths or no cloths, he paused in confusion, then groaned. She was gone. Vanished like the shadow in the night she so much resembled. Dann rushed to the spot he last saw her, peering over the edge of the wall into the darkness below. He noticed there was no rope to be seen, meaning that whoever she was she must have climbed without such help. The fact that the feat should not of have been possible did not bother Dannflorr Reguba , what bothered him was that he'd just let a intruder and possible foe of Redwall Abbey escape because he'd been too concerned with being proper!

He couldn't see her clearly, but he did see a patch of moving shadow quickly and nimbly scaling down the wall and upon reaching the ground, scurry off into the tree line. Who was she? And what had she been doing in Redwall?

"Good questions both me boy." Came he father's voice from behind him. Dann had not realized he'd spoken his thoughts aloud and turned to see that not only his father, but Janglur, Florian, and oddly enough Montran were there. Behind them Dann could see other abbeybeasts had gathered, a few armed with makeshift weapons of ladles, shovels, and quarterstaffs. Most of them were in their sleeping cloths, only Rusvul and Janglur looked to still be in their daily attire.

"I do say young laddybuck, wat's tha ruckus an' shoutin' all 'bout here, wot wot?" Florain's voice was a loud and boisterous as ever. The hare was wearing what looked to amount to a rough leather jacket hastily thrown over a nightshirt. A flimsy yet oddly sharp saber, a supposed stage prop, was held tightly in the hare's right paw.

"I was going to see Montran there," said Dann, gesturing to the mole "When I saw a shadow moving a bit too much for it to just be a trick of the light. Sure enough there was somebeast sneaking around the abbey, looked like she was trying to get out through the gates."

"She?" said Florain, raiseing an eyebrow "Ye sure twas a lass? Hmph fine days it be now wit lasses brekin' inta abbeys and such, sheer disgrace wot! Ah, wat can ye be expectin' from vermin, eh?"

Danns shook his head, "Wasn't a vermin though…she was a squirrel."

Both Rusvul and Janglur exchanged looks, then both pairs of warrior eyes turned on Dann. "I don't like repeting the hare's question, but are you sure about that? It's dark, maybe you-"

Dann cut off Rusvul's oddly guarded tone with a raise of his paw "I saw what I saw dad. She was a squirrel, not a pretty one but a squirrel." That was not entirely true, he had to admit. Save for the tail and the scar she had been...well not pretty but not exactly an eyesore either. Dann frowned and forced the thought away upon remembering that swift knee she'd possessed. And that sharp tongue.

"Well it looks like there's nothing to be done about it now." Said Janglur, looking over the wall, searching as if he might be able to see more in the night than Dann had. "Me and Rusvul can find a few volunteers to keep up a night watch. You look tired Dann, you'd best get some sleep."

Dann started to protest, saying he had business to take care of with Montran. The mole wasn't much help, gladly stating that "Oi dun be n' no rush mista' Dann sur. Rust yusulf an' oi' be roight 'ere t' 'elp w' yer troubles."

As it was between both his father and Janglur insisting he get some rest, never mind that _he_ was supposed to be the Abbey Warrior, Dann found himself in no short amount of time in his own bedroom. The small house near the gatehouse traditionally belonged to all the warriors who wielded Martin's sword and called themselves by the title of Abbey Warrior. It was a cozy enough house, with a small parlor in the main room where the door outside sat on the far wall opposite a stone worked fireplace. The strong oak table that sat in the center of the room was empty save for a single candle in the center that gave off a soft orange light that cast all sorts of flickering shadows amongst the other humble furnishings of the house.

Dann always felt strange when he entered here, almost as if he did not belong. Of course that was ridiculous, him being Abbey Warrior and all, but he could not shake the feeling. He chalked it up to the fact that the house was really designed for a family instead of just one creature, and it just felt too roomy for him.

Walking past the table towards the door that led to the bedroom, Dann paused to look at what hung over the fireplace. In the low light given by the candle, the sword of Martin the Warrior had an almost haunting look to it, small rivulets of light streaming around the blade like currents of water. It was a long well balanced sword, to a point that some might call it the perfect sword…Dann knew better after having trained with it for this past season. Yes the blade was balanced, and it felt like it was alive in your paw when you wielded it. The blade was made of a metal unlike any other Dann had seen or heard off, stronger than steel and sharp as a razor's edge. Yet, it was still just a sword, and Dann refused to let himself believe that the sword alone made him Abbey Warrior.

Every morning he spent several hours with that sword, working through the steps of various combat forms, diligently studying every aspect of sword work. Sometimes he trained alone, at times his father or Janglur would spar with him, and on a few rare occasions the two had worked together to train Dann, teaching him how to fight multiple opponents For all his training though, Dann still knew he had much to learn. His skills were far from where they could be, and it irked him somewhat to admit it.

Always it was a tradeoff. Dann enjoyed peace, loved his life here in Redwall. Yet he knew that without real combat experience all the training in the world would not amount to anything. Even during his adventures when the Marlfoxs had attack Dann had not truly used his blade. The thought sickened him, but he had never actually killed anybeast before. He'd seen death, but never delivered it himself, and he wondered often if when the moment came, he'd be able to do it.

One time, a season past, he'd succumbed to a terrible rage. His friends had been threatened by some vermin brigands and when the time came Dann had felt an anger unlike any he'd ever felt well up inside him and explode in a fury of biting teeth and raking claws. Honestly, Dann was afraid of that rage, what he might do when it took him again. Would he come back to himself covered in blood?

He shuddered and turned away from the hung sword, walking into his bedroom. He had no time for such doubts anyway. Too many creatures would be counting on him in the coming days to act as the Warrior of Redwall should. Song would need his support every step of the way, Dann knew, and he could not afford to let his own doubts bog him down while his friend's pain was so obvious.

Dann actually liked Song's two adopted ratebabes. Leon was a pest at times but Dann could see the little rat had pure intentions at heart when he went on one of his escapades. Terra was a quiet but sweet dibbun, and though Cregga raved and shouted about all the drawings that sprung up around the abbey, Dann could not help but smile whenever he walked past Terra's interesting artwork in the abbey halls.

He fully understood why Song did not like the idea of giving them up, if indeed the babe's original family did arrive at the abbey seeking refuge. And he understood her doubts about her abilities, he understood _all_ too well, but unlike himself he believed Song had enough inner strength that she could overcome any doubt and he had every confidence that when the time came Songbreeze Swifeye would do Redwall Abbey proud as Abbess.

With a sigh, removing his tunic and trousers, Dann moved himself into his bed. He just wished he could dispel his own doubts. Forcing his eyes closed he focused on trying to get some sleep. With any luck the coming days would see him too busy to dwell on his inner doubts.

Sleep brought no true rest to the young warrior squirrel however, for the familiar image of Song was there to greet him in his dreams…and oddly enough, a tailless black squirrel who's name he did not know.

Diane moved with a smooth grace that after so many seasons had become as natural to her as breathing. The shadows were her home as much as anyplace else and she darted from patch of blackness to patch of blackness with the practiced ease of those seasons guiding her every step. She prided herself, her ability to go unseen and unheard.

_An' a blasted soft woodlander squirrel caught ya easy as pie, eh?_ she berated herself. She still could not quite believe the male had spotted her, kept pace with her, and managed to hold her for even a little while. _Nobeast_ manhandled Diane Shadowdancer! Oh when she got her paws on that squirrel, what was his name, she hadn't gotten it, not that she _wanted_ it, she was going to do more than just give him a knee to the groin!

Though she had to admit that it was kind of cute the way he had acted all chivalrous when he saw her in her "work cloths", stupid yes, but cute. Course he was lucky she hadn't been carrying any of her many knives with her this time, otherwise he might have thought twice about turning his back on her.

The forest around her comforted her, its sounds and smells soothing her anger and reminding her of her present situation. She might have been spotted, but she'd succeeded in her task. Jobs like this were second nature to her, her specialty in fact. Ol' Darr wanted her to scout out the big red sandstone building, and that's exactly what she had done. She had the layout memorized, knew roughly how many fighting beasts lived there, how much food and water they had, what kind of weapons they used, everything Darr wanted Daine had found in one simple hour in the dark hours after dusk.

Now she sped through the underbrush of Mossflower towards where she knew Darr's camp would be, not more than two miles east of the red building. The cool night air brushed over her fur and she reveled in it as she ran without making the slightest sound. How she loved running free like this through the forest, or anywhere for that matter. She felt truly alive, her blood pumping fast and hot in her veins, her legs swiftly and easily carrying her over the terrain.

She's spent much of her life running. Born to a lowly slave family owned by the Horde of Darr Notch the Ravager, Diane had first acted as a courier, the only real job for a child slave that didn't involve backbreaking labor. Her early years had been fraught with perils from her family's captors. Back then slaves had been in easy supply and it was not uncommon for a hordebeast to get angry with a slave and kill them outright for some minor infraction, or worse yet decide to have a little 'fun' with a slave that caught their eye. Yes, Diane had become quite the runner during those times, ferrying messages and items back and forth through the massive camp.

Seasons passed and one by one her family had died. Her mother to an illness, nothing that would have been fatal by itself were it not for the slave master who had slain her because she was 'too weak'. Her father had died soon after, mindlessly attacking one random hordebeast and being flogged until death as punishment. Her sister, Tuni, might have still been alive for all Diane knew. Tuni had vanished two seasons ago during a freak snowstorm. Diane suspected Tuni had tried to escape, and most likely froze to death in the blizzard. Either way Tuni had just not been on her sleeping palate one morning and the slave masters had only organized a half-hearted search. Just as well, Diane thought, since she really hadn't wanted to see her sister's frozen corpse.

At first Diane had wanted revenge upon the vermin, but as time passed so did that desire. Her father had died under whips because he was a fool who couldn't see facts. What good was slaying one hordebeast in a fit of rage when you ended up dead yourself? Maybe he wanted to just be with mother but Diane figured that any way you looked at it, her father had wasted his life in a futile attempt at revenge. And escape? Ha! Tuni had tried that and more than likely had ended up food for the crows because of it! Even if she could escape what would Diane do? She did not fool herself into thinking she could survive off the land on her own. Like it or not Darr and his Horde were her family now, her home, and she'd adapted to it very thoroughly.

A scar across the neck from some fool who had thought that even when she'd grown up she would be easy to push around. A dead fool now. A tail gone, bitten off by a hungry silver pike when she'd had to swim across a river to escape a band of ravenous wolves, she'd been lucky that day with Darr's camp so close where she had the wound burned closed before she could bleed to death.

Yes, Diane knew a harsh life and she was tough as rock because of it. She had to be to survive, just like any other hordebeast.

The dull flickering light of camp fires could be seen through the dense foliage and Diane slowed her pace to that of an easygoing walk. No need to frighten the poor sentries, though she probably could have slipped past them at a dead run without any of the fool guards noticing her.

With confident strides she moved out of the protection of the shadows and into the shifting light given off by the campfires. Taking up the entire space of the large clearing, the camp had the disorganized and mismatched look that was common among Hordes, though it was much smaller than it had been not more than a month ago. A part of the mass of vermin that was moving west, Darr's Horde had dissipated with countless creatures deserting and many more dying of sickness, starvation, or other less natural causes.

Still, there were at least around two hundred vermin still in the camp, perhaps half of those actually armed and prepared to fight, or at least scared enough of Darr's wrath to fight when the hulking ferret told them to.

It wasn't much more than a minute before one of the guards who circled the camp's perimeter spotted her. The mangy rat wore a half rotted leather vest and a rusted conical helmet for armor and carried a short spear that might have once been a mere staff, but now had a dagger tied to the end to serve it's new purpose.

Running up to her the rat poked the spear in her rough direction and said in a gruff voice that didn't seem to really match with the young if not particularly well groomed face. "Halt an' declare yerself, or be facin' the end o' me spear."

Diane rolled her eyes and with one finger casually moved the spear aside. "Shut yer gab Murt, ya know who ah' am s'point yer pigsticker elsewhere an' take me to see Darr."

The rat looked her over once carefully, as if to make sure she was indeed who she said she was, though Diane figured he was just looking for an excuse to enjoy the view. Maybe she should put on some cloths when she worked, but they were just too constrictive and none of the cloths available here were clean enough in her opinion. Better naked with a few leers directed her way than wearing that lice infested stuff they called cloths.

Murt didn't waste too much time though, and was quick to lead her through the camp. Most the tents were small lean-tos, big enough for maybe two if they bundled up close, however most the camp consisted of vermin gathered around campfires in groups of about six, sleeping around the fire in rough wool blankets and little else. There were just as many females as there were males, most of the females either going about caring for the young that ran about the camp or cooking what little meat the hunting parties managed to bring back. Of course not all the females were doing chores; a few of them were unmistakably female, and each gave Diane a respectful if not friendly nod as she passed by.

In the center of the camp a larger tent, this one a tall round one big enough that half a dozen creatures cold comfortably sleep in it, stood with a pair of guards flanking the entrance flap. Darr had had the tent sewn together seasons before Diane's family had been enslaved, and it was in various stages of disrepair. Different colored patches criss-crossed the tent canvas, which at one time might have been white but over the seasons had dulled to a nearly brownish color.

A few paces in front of the entrance a tall tree branch had been cut and pruned to serve as a flagpole, a tattered old banner hanging loosely towards the ground. Diane knew that in full flutter in the wind the banner was all black and had a tall woodcutting axe crossed by a curved sword all sewn in gold on it. That was Darr's personal banner and he took an almost obsessive amount of pride in it.

Walking right up the guards, Murt was about to announce Diane and ask permission to enter, but the black squirrel ignored both him and the other guards and brushed right on past them and into the tent.

Inside the tent seemed smaller than it had on the outside, its domed ceiling feeling lower and more cramped. The floor was still dirt, though well packed and clear of rocks or grass. A wood desk was set to the left of the entrance with a crooked three-peg stool sitting in front of it. A few rough drawn maps and a plate with a few bird bones sat upon the desk. The center of the tent was dominated by a circular table with a few poorly worked chairs around it, an oil lamp on the table giving the room light.

Darr Notch was sitting at this table with two others, another ferret and a stoat. Diane recognized the ferret as Darr's old slave master, Eies, a tall and bulky female who's cream colored fur did not quite match the dark patches around her eyes but fit in quite well with her tan leather jerkin and pants. The sneering look that always seemed to be on the former slave master's face did fit however with those black brooding eyes that never seemed to have held any kind of liking for anybeast. Now that the Horde had no slaves to master, Eies found herself working as Darr's secretary, hence doing all the hard work of keeping the Horde supplied while Darr lazed around and gave orders. A situation that had never helped Eies' already volatile temper.

The stoat was Darr's second in command, named Hal for the moment; he always seemed to be changing his name with his appearance. Now he wore a bright green vest and scarlet trousers, a kind of eye jarring sight especially with his even brighter green cap with a blue feather sticking up lengthwise from it. A short fellow if not overly so, Hal had fine brown fur and no trace of another color on him, almost plain in comparison to his clothing. His face was all sharp angles and contrasts, as if carved from a block of wood, but he always seemed to be able to put great expression into every twitch of that face. Deep set brown eyes looked at Diane and Hal did even bother to hide the fact that he liked the view.

"What's been takin' ye so long girl?" said Darr in his low baritone voice, rising from his seat. Broad of shoulder and girth the ferret had the look of a boulder with graying fur that really did seem to match the stone he so resembled. Under all that coarse fur Diane knew there was muscle as solid as any rock and bones as tough as age hardened oak. Darr was in control of his Horde through sheer physical power and the fear his presence caused in his underlings, and though he was not a complete fool Diane still thought that muscle power was a poor way of determining leadership.

Shrugging her shoulders and taking a relaxed stance by the entrance Diane said "Ran inta a bit o' trouble but nothin' ah' couldn't deal with. Now ye got a reason ta be givin' me that suspicious look o' your or are ya gonna sit yerself down an' listen to what ah' gots ta say?"

Darr frowned deeply, but he did gesture for her to take a seat and waited for her to sit down before doing so himself. "Fine girl, just get on with it and tell me what you did learn o' that red fortress."

"Yes," came Hal's voice, smooth as silk and light as a feather "Do regale us with the sights you beheld in yonder castle." Hal had a way of speaking that made him sound as if he were at every waking moment trying to play the part of some minstrel or bard.

Eies just kept her scowl and said nothing as Diane began her brief report. "Gettin' over the wall was no prob', plenty o' pawholds for nimble fingers, but ye ain't gettin' no army over it Darr. Walls are thick an' the main gates stout as iron. I circled 'bout the place an' found a smaller gate on the south wall, might be able ta break it apart with a good batterin' ram. Now them creatures in there gots a' fair number o' beasts that look fit 'nough ta be fightin', but after takin' a look at 'em ah'd say most ain't trained fer it. Which puts 'em on the same level as us I guess, not like most o' them sods out there in camp know much 'bout 'ow ta fight."

Darr shot her a dangerous look and Diane had the frame of mind to quiet down, though he knew she was speaking the plain truth of the matter. Trust Darr to not see what was in plain sight because of his foolish pride.

"I think we be a bit better at swingin' blades than a bunch a' softbellied woodlanders Diane, it ain't that I be worried 'bout, it's them walls an' what even softbelly's might do wit a few bows an' slings."

Diane nodded, willing to grant that Darr was not a complete fool when he used his brain for something beyond strong drink and carousing.

Eies piped in with her screeching voice that was only bearable because she spoke in such a low tone. "I can get the boys working on a battering ram and have it ready in a few days chief." She always spoke with a kind of odd cultured method, as if the normal slur most vermin had never quite entered into her bloodline. "I'd say it's about time those lazy fops did some real work."

"I doubt it 'twould be so easy my fair Eies," said Hal "Remember how bad our supply situation is. I do indeed doubt that we posses sufficient food to last more than a week. Not good conditions at all for heavy work would you not agree?"

Eies sneered at him, "Like you cared. Going softhearted yourself Hal? Or is it Gabil today, can't keep track of all those blasted names of yours."

Hal bowed slightly in his chair in a mocking fashion, going as far to remove his cap in a sweeping flourish. "Right first time my lady. I care not for our underlings personally as you well know, but it does us no good at all to waste such useful resources in futile tasks. You really must learn that creatures have their limits and at this point we can hardly afford to lose any more than we have."

Eies looked like she wanted to argue more, but Darr slammed his paw on the table and got all their eyes on him. "Enough! Eies, Hal be right 'bout we can't be affordin' to be wastin' good fightin' beasts. Bah if we had a few slaves we'd be set. Nah, direct attacks ain't the way ta be goin' this time 'round. But I gots another plan. These woodlanders be safe an' sound behind their walls, but their be a weakness in 'em that got nothin' to do with them walls."

As Darr went on to describe his plan Eise actually seemed to brighten a bit, smiling with a almost sadistic light in her eyes. Hal merely listened calmly, leaned back with his paws behind his head, but nodding in agreement with the plan as Darr laid it out. Diane merely felt a slight pit growing in her stomach. It was a good plan, too good really, and though Diane was sure it would work like a charm, she had a bad feeling that would not go away. This reminded her too much of a story she'd heard long ago about the traveling gambler. His luck had been perfect, his scheme flawless, with the right dice and a quick paw he never lost, but even perfect luck runs out, and most often at the worst possible time. Darr's plan was good, but Diane had a sinking feeling that luck might run out at just the wrong moment. The story had ended with the gambler's dice breaking in a game with a badger who was not fond of finding his opponent had been using weighted dice.


	6. Chapter 5 Going Out

**Chapter 5**

**Going Out**

The tone of the abbey had altered over the past few days, Song took note. Not to the degree that somebeast strange to Redwall would notice it, but to one who had lived in the abbey their whole life the changers were as obvious as the light of day.

Creatures moved about their business, engaging in the normal polite conversation among their fellows. Yet, one could see the way the eyes were just a tad too wary, or how a smile seemed just a notch forced. The air seemed not thick, but more coated, with tension. Song had made the announcement three days prior, explaining the news Dippler, Log-a-Log of the Guosim, had brought to their gates. There had been great commotion at first, a string of buzzing conversation that had died out by the next day. However, even as she walked among the abbey's halls Song could every now and then see a few abbeybeasts talking quietly among themselves, their hushed tones betraying their topic of discussion.

The abbey was no stranger to the prospect of war, yet the unprecedented events that were told to be happening in Mossflower had most if not every dweller of Redwall Abbey feeling nervous. Song did her best to quell her own fluttering butterflies that seemed to be taking up permanent residence in her stomach.

Today she had several meetings to go to; meetings that would most likely take up the entirety of the day and leave little time for her to care for Leon and Terra. For the moment she had entrusted Halem and Liliam to look over to two ratbabes. The first order of business was to be the housing of the trickle of refugee's from all around Mossflower that over the past days had become a steady stream. Dippler had left the previous day to return to his Guosim and once they had gathered what they could carry return to Redwall to assist in the abbey's defense.

Walking out from the main building's doorway onto the open abbeygrounds, Song looked up at the sky and frowned. The weather had gone from pleasant to somewhat chill. The sky was a drab gray overcast, the kind of day that made the whole world seem duller in color and sap one's energy.

The grounds themselves were quite active, with small collections of tents having sprouted up here and there and many woodlanders moving about upon errands or other matters. The orchards were dotted with beasts hard at work gathering berries to be stockpiled with the grain and other assorted foodstuffs that would be more than needed should the worst case scenario come to pass.

Across the orchards on the other side of the pond Song could see a circle of beasts both young and old, but all within a selective age ground, watching a pair squirrels in the center of the circle. Janglur and Dann spared with quarterstaffs, showing their new recruits a few tricks of the warrior trade. The pair twisted and weaved agley through a series of simple offensive and defensive forms, though Dann seemed to be on defense more often than not. Those around the two watched with rapt attention, especially the younger ones who Song could see watched with an eager light shimmering in their eyes. She sighed, thinking it strange that not too long ago she too had thought the idea of adventure as a romantic concept to be eager about. She felt a short stab of pain when she realized that if things did go badly then chances were most of those young eyes would lose that youthful eagerness, the ones that survived in any case.

Pushing aside the disturbing thoughts she continued on her way, not even looking at the line of beasts Dann's father Rusvul had working with bow and sling at wood practice targets. From the way only a bare few of the arrows actually struck the targets, Song guessed that the group of young creatures shifting under Rusvul's calculating gaze had a long way to go yet.

She did not like the fact that such training was being done inside the abbey. It did seem unnatural for a place dedicated to peace to be in the midst of preparing for war…but Song reminded herself that this scene was not new to the abbey and had played out many times before.

Past the pond near the north eastern edge of the wall Song saw the very creatures she had come out to meet with. Cregga, Redwalls resident badger, was not difficult to spot at all considering how she towered above those she spoke with. Beside her a nervous looking Florain stood, shifting between glancing at Cregga as if expecting the badger to unleash the anger in her blind eyes upon him and glaring at the beasts across from him as if to openly accuse them of provoking the badger's temper. Between his paws he wrung a large red wide brimmed hat.

The creatures in question were three in number. In the center directly opposite of Cregga was a tall, though not nearly as tall as Cregga, mouse with fur of such a light gray that it almost appeared to be white. He wore a simple tattered green tunic and a pair of somewhat cleaner lighter green trousers that matched his eyes that were staring at Cregga with a distinctly vexed look. Beside him a another mouse, this one female, had a look that almost mirrored Florain's. Her fur was a deep brown with lighter patches around her face and paws, such coloration that made her brilliant blue eyes seem almost out of place. If there were any more lighter patches of brown on her they were concealed by her long blue dress that was faded and a little unkempt. On the other side of the mouse stood a hedgehog, perhaps the widest Song had ever seen, which was saying a lot considering some hedgehog's she'd met in the past. Light brown in color and hazel in eye the hedgehog had his arms folded over his chest and had his features creased in a frown.

As she approached, Song paused to listen to their conversation. Best to know what she was getting herself into before diving in.

"It was you, master Lindin that accepted the sanctuary offered by the abbey. If you're blinder that I am then maybe I'd believe you didn't see the fact that we're getting a bit crowded." Cregga's tone had the note of somebeast who had said the same thing a dozen times already and was getting quite tired of the process.

The mouse, Lindin Song guessed, raised a calming paw. "You know very well and good Cregga that I'm not blaming you or anybeast for this problem, but the plain fact of the matter is that my family, indeed all of our families, need some reassurances. I look to my left and see abbyebeasts preparing for a fight…I'll tell you now that I came here to keep my family safe, not see them slain in a battle that we might have been able to avoid."

The hedgehog huffed and shifted on his feet, his great bulk not swinging much at all which told Song there was more muscle under there than fat. "It ain't just that Lin, not only do we got a bunch of vermin running about the woods, we come here to find shelter and next thing we know we're sleeping on the ground outside."

"We've slept outside before Gabe," said the female mouse in a strong if somewhat worried voice "You should not be complaining so. Redwall has ever been known if its kindness and assistance to all in need, I can't believe you'd insult these good creatures because you have to sleep in the dirt."

Gabe turned his gaze to her, his expression softening a bit and showing a little shame "You know it's more than that Sali. Winter ain't too far off you know and you got to remember I'm not from Mossflower. I've seen some bad wars where I come from, sieges on castles bigger than this abbey that lasted months. I don't want our children starving and freezing out here when the snows hit."

"And none shall," said Song in a firm tone, deciding to get in on the conversation. All eyes turned to her and she saw Florain's obvious relief, the hare going a little slack as if he'd been extremely tense. Cregga regarded her with thankful eyes that looked right at Song despite their lack of actually sight. Cregga could 'see' well enough with her other senses. The other three had mixed looks, though a certain amount of awe was in each of their eyes. After all, this was the Abbess of famous Redwall Abbey standing before them.

Song felt foolish suddenly, but set aside the feeling and continued. "Lindin is it? Allow me to apologize on behalf of the abbey, I did not wish for such measures," she gestured at the training "To be needed, but I assure you that such precautions are warranted considering recent events."

Taking a place in the group next to Cregga, Song looked at each of the three in front of her, trying to gauge their feelings. Sali seemed truly glad to see her, though Song had never before met the mousemaid before. Song was surprised to notice that despite their appearances, it was Sali who was significantly older than Lindin, who from the occasional look they exchanged, were husband and wife.

Lindin's face was unreadable, set in an expression that she decided Florain would declare as a 'poker face'. It made her wonder why he wanted to keep his feelings hidden, but she dismissed it as unimportant for now.

The hedgehog, Gabe, still had his arms stubbornly crossed over his chest, but his expression was softened and his spikes bristled less than they had a moment earlier.

Song opened her mouth, to make good on the apparent calm she'd instilled in the concerned representatives of the refugee's when she saw a creature fast approaching out of the corner of her eye. It was one of the few abbeybeasts that Dann had assigned to keep lookout on the walls, both for more creatures who would be coming to take sanctuary at the abbey and for any possible danger. From the urgent look on the young squirrel's face and the way he clutched a wood staff tightly in his paws as he ran up to the group, stumbling over his habit, Song had a sinking feeling in her gut that her worst fears were about to be realized.

"Huff, huff…sorry Abbess…huff…I…it's…." he stammered and gasped for breath, completely winded from his sudden sprint. Song noticed that all three of the refugee's were looking at the young squirrel with intense interest. Florain's nervous look returned but it was clouded by a kind of odd light in the hare's eyes. Song well remembered his flamboyant actions during the time of the Marlfox's and Song held back a groan, glad at least that Rusvul had convinced the hare to forgo "assisting" with the training this time around.

Cregga, not one for being patient with important matters, said in a deep tone. "Out with it young one. What is it you have to tell us?"

The squirrel nodded once, taking one last deep breath, "About five minutes or so ago marm me an' me partner were going about our rounds up on the east wall when we spotted some movement in the woods. A lot of movement. Weren't long before a bunch o' vermin came out of the brush. Could have been a little over a score of them."

There was a sharp gasp from one of the three gathered refugee leaders, but Song did not see who it was because she was staring right at the squirrel. It was as she feared, but she held onto some hope.

"What are they doing now?" she asked, keeping her voice level and calm.

"Well marm, they stood there for a moment, I think to make sure we saw them, and then just vanished back into the forest. I left me partner back on the wall to keep an eye on things and spread word to all the other lookouts."

Song let out a sigh, digesting the information. Perhaps things were not as dire as she had thought. A score was not that many and it was entirely possible this was just a hungry and tired group of vermin with no intention of fighting.

"Were they armed? What was their condition?" this from Cregga, ever the pragmatic one.

"Condition marm?" asked the squirrel, obviously confused, but then his eyes cleared with realization "Oh yeah, well they looked as dirty and unkempt as most vermin I'd guess, an' a few looked a little thin like they didn't get much food lately. 'Fraid I didn't get a real good look at them from up on the wall and such but I saw that most if not all carried a blade of some kind."

Cregga was first to speak after the long silence that followed. She kept her face and tone carefully calm as she addressed the three refugees. "It would be best if you three returned to your tents for the moment."

Gabe was the first to scoff and state quite bluntly. "I think we deserve to be apart of any talk involving vermin around the abbey."

Before Cregga could say anything Song quickly intervened, holding up a placating paw. "I assure you, all of you, that any decisions on how to proceed in this matter will not come to pass without you and your families being a part of the discussion. I understand your concerns more than you know and you can trust that myself and all of Redwall will do what it may take to ensure peace and safety for all within it's walls."

Gabe looked like he was not completely convinced, but held his silence as Lindin smiled thankfully and bowed slightly to Songbreeze. "Thank you Abbess," the mouse said with sincere gratitude in his voice "It means much just to hear you say that. Please don't think we were doubting your abbey and all of you fine creatures, we were just worried with all that's been happening." He laughed slightly, but it was a quiet and half-hearted sound. "I was elected as the speaker for everybeast that's come here, but to tell you the truth Abbess marm, I feel more like a helpless babe that's been tossed into the middle of a river."'

He paused then, his head dropping a bit to stare at the ground as if he was a bit ashamed to have admitted that. His wife put a comforting arm around his shoulders and looked up at Songbreeze. Sali didn't say anything but the look in those deep and clear blue eyes told Song volumes. Sali was even more worried than her husband, almost to the point of true fear. Despite that, however, Song could see that Sali was willing to place her faith in Redwall, in the well known fact that even in the darkest of times the abbey had shone brightly as a beacon of peace and a haven for those who truly desired it. Those two eyes that looked like a patch of sky seen through a window showed Song that regardless of what Gabe, or even her husband, might decide Sali would believe in Redwall.

As the three refugee's left, Cregga turned her head to regard Songbreeze, the badger's eyes already telling Song what the badger was about to say. "It is not likely that these vermin would be roving armed unless they intended to use the weapons. It also bothers me that they would reveal themselves intentionally only to vanish again."

Song's face creased in a frown but she could not totally refute the badger's logic. After all, Dippler had said himself that most the vermin in the massive wave moving west were unarmed or too ragged to pose much of a threat. This small band, though obviously weary from the road by the wall guard's description, was clearly better off and better armed than the other vermin about in Mossflower.

"We can't know for sure what they're intentions are Cregga," Song reminded the badger in a smooth tone of voice, hiding her uncertainty. "So far all they have done is show themselves to us. That may be a good sign, considering they could have just as easily tried to sneak into the abbey or attack directly without warning."

Cregga snorted at the absurdity of the claim, not even believing vermin foolish enough to attack Redwall in so small a group, but the badger did have something else to say, "Speaking of sneaking into the abbey, has it occurred to you Abbess that maybe our visitor from a few nights past might have some connection to this?"

Song winced, but only slightly so. She had heard all about the events with the strange dark squirrel from her father. Though Song did not know why it bothered her that Dann did not tell her of it himself. Indeed her friend had apparently been avoiding her since that strange event several nights ago. And Song realized that Cregga would easily be right and that the intrusion by the unusual squirrel might be connected to these vermin who had so suddenly shown themselves to the abbey.

"I shall have to think on this," she stated finally "For now," she said to the squirrel "you are to return to your post and continue you lookout with your friend. You did well in telling us of this quickly."

The squirrel smiled and with quick goodbyes rushed off, eager to get back to his friend and see if anything else exciting might happen today.

Song, watching the squirrel go, felt a deep twisting in her gut. It was indeed possible that this meant nothing and that these vermin, though looking better off than the rest of the vermin flooding through Mossflower, might just be looking for a place that would grant them shelter. It was even possible the father, or other realitives of Terra and Leon were among the number of the vermin.

"Cregga," Song said, schooling her face into a serene calm suitable to the position of Abbess "A meeting must be called to discuss what should be done about this development. You know who to bring."

Cregga nodded once with a wave of her massive paw, "Of course Abbess, but may I say something?"

Song could not hold back a slight smile. She did appreciate Cregga's usually blunt advice and comments, which had helped Song a great deal during her first few months as Abbess. The badger well understood that Songbreeze was still very inexperienced, but also understood the young squirrel was willing to listen to the wisdom of those who did have experience and respected Song for that, which was why the badger's tone, while perfectly blunt and grim, did not match her respectful expression.

"I know you would like to believe otherwise Songbreeze, but vermin by their nature are deceitful and there are no creatures better at creating ways to cloud one's judgment. Be wary, even if these vermin appear as friends you must remember that they bear weapons and rarely have problems using them if they think they can gain from it."

Song raised a paw, indicating that she understood what Cregga was trying to say, but she had her own thing to say "I know Cregga, but don't forget what happened at the island of the Marlfox's. Those water rats were just as quick to throw down their arms and live in peace as they were to take up their blades at the Marl's beck and call. Once the oppressive rule of the Marlfox's was gone they were more than willing to live in peace."

Cregga looked as if she wanted to sigh but merely shook her massive stripped head once. "I don't doubt that Abbess, but even if a vermin acts proper and even takes up a farming hoe instead of a blade, they are still vermin at heart…"

With that the badger turned and strode away, leaving Song with Florain. The hare watched the badger go and wrinkled his nose as if at a bad odor.

"Nothin' tae be sayin' tha' she no' be a fine badgermum an' all, but I gots tae tell ye Abbess marm tha' ah' think her wrong n' this. Florain Dugglewoof Wilffachop 'ill stand by ya in mattahs o' judgin' vermin charactah, wot wot! Tha' little Leon o' yours is a' right good sort, born for th' stage by my recokin' wit a' bit o' trainin'. An' Terra' she's be th' sweetest little thing ye evea did clap eyes on I do be sayin' myself, wot. Now ah' can't be sayin' tha' ah' know me vermin, but by them two ah'd say ye can't be judgin' nobeast by looks."

With that the hare placed the hat he'd so thoroughly wrung upon his head, bowed slightly to Song, and left, to return to the small camp set up by his troupe Song guessed. She watched his retreating back with no small amount of surprise etched upon her features. The hare was prone to flourishing speeches and declarations, always delivered with flare and gilt, but he had said all of that with a look of such pure sincerity of the like Song had never seen on the hare's face. She knew at times Leon would play around the troupe's camp, and that Terra occasionally did so as well, but she had no idea the twins had made such an impression.

Her step lighter now, even though it seemed life was about to get even more complicated, Song walked on through the abbey grounds back to the large main building of the abbey, greeting those she met along the way with an easy and relaxed smile. Dibbuns ran by, children of the refugees playing at a tag-like game and laughing as they darted about the bushes and tents. So many had been brought into the abbey that such scenes were even more common place than they had been before and it made Song smile to see it. However, Song felt a small twinge of worry that dampened her lightened mood, hoping that whatever was to come that she would be strong enough to face it. She did not like the idea that some of those dibbuns might soon become orphans.

A cold wind made the leaves of the tree above her head rustle with the sound akin to a distant waterfall. The sound relaxed Diane. She stood less than half a mile from the great red sandstone building, watching the procession walking past her from the shade of the forest tree line. Vermin marched by, only three score but all armed and all wearing mixed looks of eagerness and much more apparent worry. She doubted any of them liked their chief's plan any more than she did. At the rear of the small band of vermin a half dozen woodlanders were being prodded along by a pawfull of guards. Each woodlander was tightly bound, their paws behind their backs and their necks linked by rope. Diane noted most were mice, with only two being squirrels and the last of the dozen a tall female otter who glared at any vermin who so much as glanced her way, though there was little she could do bound as she was.

Diane thought again over Darr's plan for taking the red structure. The woodlanders had been captured not more than a few hours ago, an unfortunate group that had been making its way along the path to the abbey when Darr's band had ambushed them. All had been captured in short order. Diane could hear the sound of wood being chopped and hammers at work in the distance to the west towards the red building, Darr's little surprise for the woodlanders within.

"T'bloody risky an' wasteful tae' boot." She muttered to herself as she kicked the ground in front of her.

"Do mine ears deceive me?" an all too familiar voice reached her ears, "Does the ever emotionless and inaccessible Diane Shadowdancer lament the need for such an ineloquent venture by her oh so cruel and malicious compatriots?"

Diane turned her head with a scowl painting itself on her face as Hal, though today his name could be anything, appeared beside her. He wore a thick wool jacket and dirty and torn trousers today, so plain in comparison to what he had worn before. "What name are ye callin' yerself by t'day?" she asked, trying to put into her voice the fact that she did not really want to talk.

The stoat flickered his eyes over to her with an amused smile that reached across his face. "Oh for you my fair and fiery Diane, simply Hal shall do." Diane resisted the urge to punch him, and instead turned her look back to the passing band of vermin and their woodlander prisoners, a frown deepening on her features.

Hal took note of it and Diane heard his lighthearted chuckle. "You feel pity for them perhaps?" he asked, obviously meaning the woodlanders. It was Diane's turn to chuckle. "Pity? Them? Ha!" she placed her paws deep inside the pockets of her own black trousers, for she indeed was clothed this day in her usual attire of black on black. "Tha' lot be gettin' no tears from me. Chances is th' lot o' em 'ill be dead soon 'nough an' then their troubles 'ill be over. Hmph, why ye even askin'?"

She wasn't looking right at him but Diane could see out of the corner of her eye that Hal had turned to face her fully. Slowly, she eased her muscles and slowly moved her left paw, the one Hal could not see properly, towards one of the hidden folds of her tunic where she could draw and let fly with a throwing dagger before the stoat could even blink.

That proved unnecessary as she heard Hal chuckle once more and he said, "Diane, Diane, Diane, what reason does one need to ask you anything other than the delightful privilege of your company? If a reason you do indeed require beyond that I shall only tell you this my dangerous and delightful shadow, I ask because it would grieve me to no end to see you do something foolish out of old sentiment for those who were once your kind."

Diane spat on the grass in front of her, her face a mask of annoyance and anger. "Then ye be a' bigger fool than I would o' thought. Donnae ya be lettin' yerself think for a' second tha' ah even be feelin' a lick o' sympathy for anybeast!" she was surprised by the heat of the anger in her tone. She really did feel like hitting the blasted stoat. How dare he ask questions like that when she'd worked herself beyond exhaustion and shed her blood countless times to attain any level of status in the horde. Stomping away in a huff, confused by her own level of anger and even more enraged because of it, Diane did not get a good look at Hal as he too walked away to join the band of vermin that had past by. She did not see his satisfied grin that was wide from ear to ear.

Leon wasn't sure just what the fuss and bother was all about. The more he looked at the situation the more the ratbabe could not fathom just what had all the bigger creatures so worked up. Over the past few interesting days more and more creatures had arrived at the abbey. More friends for him to play with! On top of that all the extra creatures around meant that Friar Kal would be cooking even more food! Leon had yet to figure out just how that weird thing called on "oven" worked, however he sure did enjoy all the things that came out of it. The Friar had gotten _so_ upset with him when Leon had climbed into the oven, determined to understand how it worked. It wasn't like it was _his_ fault that he was in there, he was just curious. Leon was sure it had something to do with those fires the Friar lit when he used the oven, something about the heat that affected the stuff he put in there to make all that delicious food.

Leon, along with his friends Cali and Gil, had experimented with it, mixing a bunch of stuff they'd found in bags and jars. Leon had been so sure he had things figured out, but Friar Kal had stopped them then to before they could try their recipe for "Dibbun Surprise". It bothered Leon a bit but the ever optimistic ratbabe was not too perturbed for he knew the Friar would leave the kitchen alone sometime again.

At the moment Leon was thinking of something else that had him fascinated, with Cali and Gil beside him.

"Isa somat ta' do wit litta iron thingamagig." Leon stated firmly as he eyed the small south gate to the abbey from the cover of some bushes. Next to him Cali's face went into a profound frown as the little female mouse cocked her head to once side. Her face was dainty even for one her age, but she was taller than most and had creamy white fur that was unusually curly. She and Gil were a good season older than Leon, as were most the others, but that never seemed to matter.

"Y'sure Leo?" she asked, sounding unconvinced. Leon nodded his head with surety. He had been studying this gate for quite some time and was positive he had the secret of how it opened. Normal doors he'd figured out long ago, just turning the odd metal knobby thing on them would have the big wooden objects swinging wide open.

Of course…the gate was a tad more difficult. "Isa mettle thiggy der." He said, pointing at the gate latch so Cali could see. The young mousemaid squinted her hazel eyes and gave Leon a doubtful look. On the other side of him Gil twitched his nose, blinking and glancing around nervously. The otter was always so jittery, constantly shifting his look around with his deep brown eyes and his even darker fur always standing up at odd angles. Leon didn't really mind it, though it sure got annoying sometimes.

"Leo," said Gil, his head ducking down low in the bush as if afraid some adult might see him even though all of them were perfectly hidden out of sight, "Ow's y' gonna git t' gate witouts big beasts spottin's ya?"

Leon giggled in his simple and content way. "Sis'," was all he said in explanation. Cali smiled then, understanding what Leon meant and soon she too let out a purely dibbunish laugh. Gil still did not looked convinced but from the way he settled down somewhat, meaning he looked out of the bush every other ten seconds instead of five, Leon knew Gil trusted that things were being worked out.

Speaking of which…Terra ought to be doing her part of the plan right about…

"My goodness! What is that babe doing up there?"

…now

Terra was happy. She did not know exactly why Leon had asked her to do this but she was glad to do so just the same. Leon had all sorts of odd ideas and Terra never saw a reason to question, though he sure did get yelled at a lot more than she did. She smiled slightly, though it was not overly apparent. She was likely to be the one yelled at today.

She hopped, skipped more like, from one rampart to the next. She was up on the north wall, contently jumping on the ramparts with a slight spring wind slowly brushing over her face, causing her small pale green dress to flap slightly. She liked the wind, it always felt so good.

"Somebeast get her down from there! Call the Abbess! Call the Abbess!"

"Hey, stop that little one! It's dangerous!"

Terra frowned, letting the smile slide away. She never did like being yelled at. Leon was going to owe her extra drawing stuff for this. She did not think much on what Leon was planning this time around, though she supposed it had something to do with the door on the south wall. He'd been staring at it for days now. He stared at so many things. Why couldn't he just stay in one place and listen to the wind sometimes? The wind always said interesting things to her. She sighed as she made another easy leap to a rampart. Maybe Leon couldn't hear what she did. Nobeast else seemed to. She thought about it often, the things the wind told her. Sometimes it was funny, even made her smile. Other times what the wind said frightened her. Maybe it was better Leon couldn't hear what the wind said, because sometimes it was about him. Terra could not understand what the wind said about her brother but it never did sound good.

Her thoughts were distracted as she noticed that down below in the courtyard many beasts had gathered, all watching her, not a one looking in the direction of the south wall. She could also see that a group of creatures were making their way from the main building towards the stairs up to the north wall. Her mother was with them. Terra rarely noticed anybeast else other than her mother or Leon, but she did note that the friendly sword squirrel was there…but so was the big scary squirrel who was the sword squirrel's father. That one frightened Terra almost as much as what the wind sometimes said. He did not have friendly eyes when he looked at her.

Just as her mother and the others with her made it to the stairs and stared up quickly, Terra hopped off the ramparts and onto the walkway on the wall, and calmly sat down to wait for them. She'd done her part, she'd be yelled at, and Leon was going to owe her extra fun drawing stuff for this….

As soon as Leon saw that all attention was cast towards the north wall he made his move. With surprising speed and dexterity he scampered on all fours from the bush and towards the small south gate. Cali and Gil were soon to follow after giving each other an exchange of looks.

Reaching the gate, Leon waited for his two friends to catch up. Gil looked over at the crowd at the north wall nervously, and Cali looked up at the gate that towered over them. "Wasa' now?' she asked.

Leon grinned and pointed up at the latch. Cali and Gil were both quick to understand. Moments latter Leon was being held up by a straining mousemaid and otter, held high enough so that he could do his work on the latch. Now as he figured it the metal bolt should be moved out of that clamp thing. He looked over it, trying to asses how to move it. Running a paw over the latch he found the bolt, to him a piece of metal the seemed out of place. Maybe if he moved that. He griped it, heaving up. The metal bolt slid out of the lock and Leon held it there as he pulled back, the latch coming out of the clamp that held the small gate shut.

Which was good timing because Cali and Gil had gotten tired of holding him up and fell down with a crash, Leon landing sideways on top of both of them. After the dibbuns untangled themselves, giggling the whole time, Leon made his announcement. "Dora s'no lockied no mor! We's opens it."

Gil rubbed his head and looked up at the handle to the gate. He looked at Leon with the question of how to open the gate even with the latch unlocked plain on his face. Cali did not bother with such a look, and instead turned her attention to the crowd at the north wall. It looked like Terra's distraction was coming to an end, with the Abbess having recovered her daughter from the wall. The crowd was dispersing.

"Betta 'urry up Leo." She said. Leon nodded once and reached into the fold of his gray tunic. He'd planned well ahead for this. Pulling out a small spin of rope he bid his friends to hoist him up briefly one more time. Looping the rope through the handle of the door, Leon got back down and soon he, Gil, and Cali were all pulling on the ends of the rope. Seconds latter the gate swung open slightly, enough to admit a dibbun or two.

"Hehehe, nowsa we's cun play ina woodises." said Leon with equal parts joy at the prospect and pride that his plan had worked.

Five minutes latter, when an old hedgehog walked past the south gate on his way to his family's tent, he noticed that somebeast had left the south gate wide open. "Hmph, silly youngsters these days," he muttered "always forgetting to close the door behind them. Hmmm…I wonder why the Abbess would send out anybeast with all this talk of vermin the woods." He closed the gate and soon walked away, but could not help but feel a bit of worry at the oddity of it all. Why _would_ anybeast go out into the forest at a time like this?

This was even better than he had thought it would be. So many new sounds and sights and smells! Leon ran through a dense bit of brush, Cali not far behind him. "Isa' gonna get's ya!" she cried happily, determined to tag her friend this time. Leon had already guessed this was just a trick, and she was driving him towards Gil.

Tag was a common game among dibbuns, but Leon and his friends had made a few changes to it. First being that both Cali and Gil were "It" and Leon was the one to run away. That kind of became a necessity when they'd first started playing, with Leon always being the one to outrun them. It was a fun game called "Leo Tag!" where all the other dibbuns had to catch Leon. With him being the scampering champion of the abbey, it was not an easy game, but one where everybeast had a really fun time. And that's what mattered to Leon most, having fun.

Dropping down to all fours to give himself a burst of speed he rounded around one tree, zipping back and past Cali who had to skid to reverse her course. As expected, Gil who had been waiting behind a bush to ambush Leon now burst form his hiding place in fast pursuit, with Cali lagging behind.

Leon knew he was in trouble, even having seen the obvious tactic. This area was so dense with thick bushes, fallen logs, and leaves still slick from a light rain sometime last night, that Leon could not use his greatest ally in this game, his speed. He was forced to slow down to avoid obstacles and keep from slipping on the wet forest ground.

A quick look behind him showed that Gil was gaining ground, the nimble little otter also on all fours and deftly dodging through and about the various small bushes that Leon tried to use to slow him down. Up ahead Leon saw a massive trunk from a tree, maybe fallen from the storm that seemed so long ago. Instead of slowing down or turning to veer from it, Leon speeds up, getting on idea. He heard Gil's fast footfalls close behind him, with Cali's not too far behind.

As he neared the great fallen trunk that to Leon looks like a majestic wall of nature, he sprung with his hind legs, flying off the ground and towards the trunk he flipped his body into a vertical position in the air. He hits the trunk with enough force to knock the breath out of him, but not so hard that he could not keep his hold and scramble upwards. Reaching the top of the trunk he turns around, catching his breath and looks down behind him.

Cali and Gil stood at the bottom of the trunk, both looking up at him. Cali looked genuinely surprised, her eyes wide. Gil just looked frustrated. Leon hadn't been sure, but he had bet that neither of them could have made that jump or at least would not have been willing to.

"Yosa comin' down?" asked Gil after a second, finally losing his look of frustration and letting a smile onto his face that told Leon that he'd gotten lucky this time and Gil wouldn't let him get lucky again. Cali didn't say anything but instead looked around at the forest around them, obviously still a little worried. Gil was usually the nervous one, but that was only when there were adults around to catch them.

Leon was about to hop down from the tall fallen trunk when a sudden force lifted him clean off the ground, raising him high into the air above his friends. A sour and terrible stink filled the ratbabe's nostrils and he wondered how he hadn't noticed it sooner. A rough and unpleasant voice laughed behind him.

"Harharhar! Wat' do we got here? Hey Touse come 'ere an' look at wat I jus' caught!" Leon was being held aloft by the single arm of a huge and hulking…well…Leon wasn't sure what it was. A male Leon guessed by the voice, but not any kind of creature he'd ever seen before. Not that he could get a good look held by the back of his tunic as he was, but he caught glances at the beast as he swung around. He was dressed in ragged and dirty clothing that looked like it had seen better seasons. His form was lithe, kind of like an otter, but the coloring and size was all wrong.

Leon turned his attention away from the smelly creature when he heard Cali scream. Not the surprised or startled yelp he was used to hearing sometimes from her, but a high and almost wailing sound filled with fear. That sound was not something he'd ever heard before but once was enough to set the idea firm in his mind that he never wanted to hear it again. He saw that another creature, no better dressed than the one that held him, had entered the area and was firmly holding onto Cali. Gil was nowhere in sight.

"Hellsteeth! Stop yer' gabin' kid! Rasp where'd the other one get off to?" this one was also male, but Leon felt something in his gut sinking as he saw it's physical features. The long snout, the large round ears, Leon realized this one looked not unlike him or his sister. The ratbabe did not know what that meant but it did not make him feel good at all.

The one called Rasp said something that Leon did not understand, and then said "Ah' blast it all! Nothin' we can be doin' about it now if one got away. Darr ain't gonna be likin' it but he's expectin' us to catch woodlanders so we catch woodlanders. Guess there ain't no need to tell 'im we lost one eh?"

Touse laughed once, nodding his head and adjusting his grip on Cali so he could sling her over his shoulder. "Yer right there. Two babes is' a good catch anyways. Darr said the younger the better." Touse looked like he was about to turn to leave when he paused and took a closer look at Leon, squinting his dark eyes.

"Hey Rasp…ye be knowin' if any or our females be missin' a tike?"

Rasp frowned and shook his head, "Why you askin' a question like that? Course der not! That'd get 'em rushing about and yelling like a windstorm and we'd not be missin' something like that. Wat's got ya all worked up?"

Touse looked up at Rasp and then back to Leon. Seconds past with Leon staring at those dark eyes like a pair of black pits, and he felt suddenly like squirming. He didn't like having to stare at a face that resembled his so much. After a time Touse backed off and shrugged, "Must be my imagination or somthin'. Come on, let's git goin' 'fore the deadline hits. Show's supposed to be startin' at noon."

At this Rasp laughed, and Leon understood well why he was called Rasp, with that laugh sounding more like a saw going against a thick block of brick than any kind of actual laugh. Cali had stopped her screaming, and had gone deathly quiet, which bothered Leon more than her screaming had. As Touse and Rasp started walking deeper into the forest, moving along the south wall towards the north Leon noted, Touse took the lead. This meant that Leon could look at Cali face to face as they were carried, and he saw her all too clearly. She looked at him with a kind of desperation in her eyes, but also a startling certainty. With a feeling of a big cold rock dropping into his stomach Leon realized she was fully expecting him to somehow figure out a plan to get them both out of this mess.

Her hazel eyes were filled with the simple faith that one way or another things would turn out all right because Leon was there to think of a plan. Behind that faith was a sheer desperation, because Cali knew full well that if Leon couldn't think of something both of them were in real trouble…


	7. Chapter 6 Plans On Top of Plans

**Chapter 6**

**Plans on Top of Plans**

A feeling of dread was taking a slow but steady root in Abbess Songbreeze's heart. From the moment she saw Terra doing something so utterly uncharacteristic of herself up on the wall Song knew something was terribly amiss. Of course getting Terra down was as simple as running up there to pick her up. Song had not really been worried about Terra falling, for she knew well that the young ratbabe was quite nimble, it was instead what the act signified that made Song's heart sink.

When an old hedgehog reported that he saw the south gate open Song did not have to think long on what had happened. Terra would only have done what she had if Leon had asked her, and the fact that she'd done it on the north wall directly opposite the opened gate was too much of a coincidence. Song knew without doubt that not only her Leon, but two other of the abbey's dibbuns were now outside in Mossflower Wood. Cali and Gil could not be found anywhere either, and it was no secret that they were close friends with Leon.

So it was that Abbess Songbreeze found herself trying to organize a search party to go find the wayward babes when matters suddenly went from bad to truly worse than she would have been able to imagine. Dann, Cregga, Liliam, and Halem were all there along with Florain and a number of the Wandering Noonvale Companions. They were all out in the courtyard circled around Song who was holding a frightened looking Terra. The young ratbabe did not speak, but it had not taken more than a few quick questions before she had confirmed what they all feared with a few paw gestures and nods or shakes of her tiny head.

Florain was of the opinion, and stated it quite loudly, that they should immediately band together and go find the dibbuns "…post haste, wot wot!" as he put it. Though his sentiment was shared by the rest of the troupe, and both Sister Liliam and Halem who both could not stand the idea of such young ones being in danger, Dann and Cregga were of slightly cooler mind. Charging out in force would only attract attention to the abbey and cause an overall panic among the abbeybeasts. Besides, a large group that looked about all willy nilly was not going to help much. Dann suggested a few beasts well versed in quick and silent movement in the forest, like himself and Janglur, would have far better chances at finding the three dibbuns and bringing them back safely.

Song of course insisted on going along, which was what was the focus of argument between her and Dann as a otter wall guard came rushing into the scene.

"Dann I'm going! I'm not going to sit here and wait while Leon and-"

"Blast it all Song you can't! What do you think the rest of the abbey will think of their Abbess up and runs off into the forest all of a sudden? I thought you wanted to keep a panic from starting up."

"I do, but I…"

"I know Song, I know…huh? What's this?"

The otter was huffing, and paused a second to catch a breath as the gathered group all stared at him with wide eyes. "Sorry Abbess marm, I don't mean to break up anythin' important but you got to come up to the wall."

"Why," asked Song, ice growing in the pit of her stomach "What's happened?"

"You'd best just see it…I don't know how to rightly describe this."

Song and Dann exchanged a worried look. A low murmur swept through the gathered Noonvale Compainions, with Florain's face becoming grim set. Cregga kept her face schooled into an unreadable mask.

"Lead the way then," Song told the otter.

"Da ye be thinkin' they'll like the show?" asked Eies in her standard mind wrenching screech of a voice. Darr snorted and ran a finger over the edge of his battle-axe, wondering if Eies saw the gesture as him showing his general contempt for woodlanders or the fact that he was seriously considering burying the brutal device into her little skull. Before him and the female ferret a line of his hordebeasts stood in a relatively neat line, maybe fifty altogether, dressed up in the cleanest bits of leather armor and armed with the least rusted of the horde's weapons. Past that was a small clear space with a deep ditch in it, a path beyond that with a rise that lead up past a space of sparse green grass, and finally the red sandstone walls of the great abbey of Redwall. Darr could see the small forms of woodlanders up on the wall scurrying about, some standing still and pointing in their direction. He could hear their distant shouts but couldn't make out words. It wasn't necessary though, he could tell just by the tone of the shouts that the 'show' was having the desired effect.

Behind him and Eies was a truly odd device. Constructing it had taken several days of non-stop work but it had paid off. It was a platform of wood logs, supported by cross-beams beneath that formed a kind of boxy structure. From the base of the platform were large spokes where hastily crafted wheels made from sections of log were in place, allowing the fifty hordebeasts now arrayed up front to pull it out into view of those on the abbey wall. The platform itself was even and planked, and what was on it was the cause of the woodlander's distress just as Darr had planned.

A wooden beam held up by smaller twin beams on either side of it stretched across the platform's near thirty foot long and ten wide surface. On this beam was a lovely display of local woodlanders strung up by their necks on thick rope. Only small logs under the feet of the woodlanders kept them from strangling to death. All of these woodlanders were adult, a mix of species and gender. Dar was saving the younger ones captured for a last resort if this first demonstration did not work out.

Nearby Darr could see that the little dark firebrand, Diane, was leaning against the construct with a sour look on her face. Of course she almost always had a sour look on her face as far as Darr knew, and he cared not at all. The dark furred squirrel was always in a bad mood, another thing the Darr couldn't bring himself to care about along as Diane did what he told her to do when he told her to do it.

"Now that we got them woodsies' attention we might 's well get things started," he said, walking forward towards the line of his soldiers. Eies was only a few steps behind him.

"What is this?" Song asked to none in particular, here eyes fixed upon the wooden construct that these vermin had wheeled in front of her abbey. The sky was clear of clouds this day, the light of the mid-morning sun casting a light that did not fit with her sinking mood. To her left and right creatures of the abbey either stood gaping or murmured amongst themselves in hushed tones, the very air around them seeming heavy with their anxiety that Song herself keenly felt. Where could Leon be? Song's thoughts skittered about, unable to keep the ratbabe's image from crossing her mind. A sharp stab of guilt accompanied this, in part because she knew she was responsible for the young ones of the abbey, the other part being that she was thinking more of Leon that the other two dibbuns who were also missing.

Cregga was trying to get the wall clear of anybeast who as she put it 'could be minding their business elsewhere,' though the badger was meeting only limited success with word spreading quick throughout the abbey that something strange was happening outside the walls.

"Its all too blasted obvious what these vermin are doing," growled Rusvul who stood nearby next to his son, "That's a whole bunch o' hostages they got strung up in front of us, too far away for us to do a bloody thing about it."

Dann looked as if he agreed with his father, but wasn't saying anything as he stared intently at the vermin who were standing in front of the huge hanging platform. He counted about fifty, about as many as there were capable fighting beasts inside the abbey. That was a pretty small group as vermin groups went, and they never would have been able to pose a threat to Redwall if it wasn't for those hostages. He wanted to curse as his father was, for not thinking about this possibility sooner. Though he knew full well there was no way to protect all the creatures who lived in Mossflower, he still felt as if he should have done something to prevent this.

"Looks like tha' one's comin' up ta' have a bit o' a chat, must be the leaderish type o' the lot." Said Florain as the hair pointed out a pair of vermin walking towards the abbey gates with a detachment of about ten of the armed vermin following them. Song couldn't tell until they got close enough, but once the miniature procession had started to make its way up the path she could see that the two in the lead were both ferrets, a tall imposing male and a bulky female. The others comprised of a mixture of vermin, all clad in ramshackle armor and carrying worn looking spears, some of them carrying a shield as well.

Though most of those on the wall were normal abbeybeasts, Song noticed a few of the refugees as well among the clumped groups of squirrels, mice, hedgehogs, and otters. The only shrew there was Dippler, whom Song hadn't seen much off since he first arrived. She knew he had been busy about the abbey, but she just wasn't sure _what_ he'd been 'busy' doing. Dippler noticed her look and gave her a reassuring smile, though she could still see that he was just as troubled by what was happening as she was.

She managed to return it just in time to hear a gruff and deep voice bellow upward from the path below.

"Who be th' woodsie n' charge up der!"

It was the male stoat who had spoken, and Song gave him a careful look over. The massive bulk of the stoat and the confident manner he carried himself said everything she needed to know. This was the one who lead the band of vermin and likely had ordered the hostages to be taken. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed several creatures, her and Dann's fathers included, had readied slings or bows. She raised a paw to keep them steady, though she knew it was not needed. None of the abbey would fire knowing the lives of the hostages were at stake. This warlord, or whatever he was, had thought this through enough to ensure the abbeybeasts would not be the ones to fire first.

Song took a deep breath and in a steady voice, the voice of an Abbess, called out clearly. "I am Songbreeze Swifteye, Abbess of Redwall Abbey. Who are you and what brings you to our gates?"

She couldn't hear it, but seeing the shaking of the vermin's shoulders said they were all laughing among themselves. The same rough and gravel voice of the stoat replied to her, and Song could imagine there was as much insult just in the voice than anything that the vermin could say.

"Are ye now? Abbess, what a' grand an' lovely title. Well, 'Abbess', I am Darr Notch, leader o' this little band ye see lined up nice in' pretty in front o' yer abbey. As fer what it is I want, well that's a' simple matter to be sure. I want yer abbey to empty itself, clear on out an' take a long walk…preferably without the whole comin' back concept."

There was a long pause as a rift of murmurs went through the crowd on the wall. Song heard Rusvul hiss out a "Bastard," and her own father whisper something to the elder Reguba that sounded like "Wait," then before she could make any reply Dann yelled down.

"And let me guess vermin, if we don't abandon our home to you then you'll put that 'device'," he practically spat out the word with enough venom to make an adder envious, "to use on your captives!"

This time Song _did_ hear the stoat Darr laugh, a sound like blood soaked rocks slapping together. "Harharhar, ye got it right n' yer head treewholoper! Ye don't get yerselves gone n' a day ye'll get a good view of a hanging 'er two, ye try an' make a' move on us or get any funny ideas 'bout using them bows o' yers then I'll treat ya to a even grander show!"

"Is there any depth a vermin won't slink to?" Rusvul had his hackles standing on end, the old squirrels face a twisted parody of its normal calm, now painted with rage and hatred. His knuckles were white around the grip of a bow, one paw twitching with the urge to draw an arrow. Song hoped that he could keep himself controlled, at least until…until what? This Darr had just effectively tied their paws with bonds of moral conscience, a binding tighter than anything else that could be used upon a Redwaller.

"For now we don't have much choice," she said to those around her, gaining looks from Dann, Rusvul, Janglur, Florain, and Cregga.

"Pardon marm but t'blighers playin' a' perilous game. 'E can't 'arm them folk long as 'es got a' use fer 'im, cause ifin' he did go through wit 'is threats in' such he'd be witout th'leverage 'e needs ta make demands," said Florain, jabbing a thumb over the wall in the rough direction of the vermin band.

"Don't state the bloody obvious hare," muttered Rusvul in a low tone "He knows full well he can't just kill them without losing his only advantage on us, but don't fool yourself for a second that he won't follow through with what he says if he thinks we won't comply. He'll kill them a few at a time, until guilt forces our move…"

"Enough with the pessimism," said Song firmly, though she knew Rusvul was speaking the truth. "We must find a way to free those this Darr Notch holds captive…for now we'll have to play along to buy time."

She turned and raised her voice to be heard by the vermin below. "You give us little choice. We shall begin preparations to leave, but understand there are many in here…it may take more than a day."

"Day 's what ye gots 'Abbess' so ye'd better get workin'. Fer each hour after t'next dawn a woodsie is gettin' a stretched neck. Think o' it as extra motivation ta work fast, hehehe."

With that Darr Notch gave a mocking bow and turned away, his small entourage following him back to the silent line of vermin waiting across the path by that contemptuous execution platform. Song watched with her dark eyes bordering between despair and anger. It burned inside her gut, the idea that this stoat would have such little concern for anybeast's well being, not even that of his own. She had seen those who surrounded Darr Notch, vermin who looked thin as rails, more tattered and ragged than any she had seen before. Even with his own obviously suffering Darr Notch wasted time and lives upon petty acts such as this. All he had need to do was ASK and Song would have opened the gates and given them all sanctuary. What make them think they had to take it? No answers came to her mind, and her heart sank. She showed none of this on her face however, keeping a steel look of calm as she regarded Dann.

"We have one day then, we'd best get everybeast off the wall and then start planning on a way to save the prisoners."

He nodded once, his face drawn in a comforting smile that Song appreciated. He had such confidence in her. "Will do Song. Hey no need for the teary face, we'll figure something out."

Song felt a paw on her shoulder and turned her head to see her father was right beside her, giving her much the same look of confidence and comfort as Dann was. He laughed heartily and patted her shoulder heftily. "He's right, won't do no good worry, just put our heads together and put these vermin in their place. And don't worry daughter, we'll get little Leon and the other dibbuns back as well."

She started, surprised he'd been able to read her worries so easily, but then he was her father after all. A slight smile made its way to her face, more a trial of will than she would have imagined. "Thank you. Well, if we're to decide upon a plan we'd best get to it…looks like Friar Kal will have to boil enough hotroot tea to last the night."

Leon didn't know whether to be frightened or giddy, so the ratbabe just settled on both. There were so many new sights, sounds, and smells to take in, but at the same time he knew with the feeling of cold pin pricks up his spine that this was a very dangerous situation. The tall and rather unpleasant smelling creature that by now Leon had figured out was named Rasp still had a firm hold on him as he and his partner, the one disturbingly similar in appearance to Leon, brought him and Cali into what looked like some sort of camp.

There was no real clearing for the clumps of tents and small campfires to be set up, so Leon only caught glimpses of parts of it through thickets of trees and brush, though what he saw fascinated him enough. Creatures of which he'd never seen the like were gathered around their fires, bodies that Leon's nose could tell were poorly washed being clothed in little more than a few dirty rags and strips of cloth. What was wrong with them? Didn't they have nice clean abbey cloths? This puzzled Leon but he put the question aside for the time being. From what little he could tell most if not all the creatures here were female, or very young like Cali and himself. There were only a few adult males, and the ones Leon saw were all armed, though for some reason each one had a barely noticeable aura of fear around them. The only reason Leon even noticed it was that he'd seen so much of the same slight uneasiness in posture among those inside the abbey recently.

There was a break in the trees and a larger clearing opened up before them, and Leon blinked in surprise. A circle of tents made a kind of make-shift barrier around a large group of creatures seated on the ground. Leon saw that they were all familiar creatures, the ones he had grown up with, and that each one was bound tightly by rope. This did not bode well at all…

Rasp and the one called Touse were approached by another of the smelly and strange creatures, who gave the two what seemed to Leon like an annoyed look. This one's voice was different from the others though, not rough or even all that mean, but more like the kind of voice Leon had used once or twice himself to convince mother to let him stay up a bit later at night when he wanted to play.

"What hath our tardy scouts gathered up for us? You two are quite late you know."

Leon felt Rasp's chest rumble, though he did not hear the growl. Leon thought that over for a second, deciding that the only reason somebeast as big and scary looking as Rasp might not audibly growl at another creature was because he was scared of them. Upon making this conclusion Leon studied the one who spoke in such smooth and honeyed tones, knowing that this was one he'd have to be extremely wary of.

The creature looked down at him, the eloquent and smooth features so similar to an otter yet different in a way that Leon could not place turned into a curious half-smile. "Well no matter I suppose, place these two with the others and once you are done come to me and give your report. Lord Darr wishes this abbey's perimeter secured within the hour."

"Righ', we'll git the twerps tied up then Hal," said Rasp, his voice low. Leon could tell these two did not like each other…or at least Rasp did not like the one with the silky voice. This suspicion was only confirmed to Leon when once 'Hal' had turned to leave and Rasp muttered under his breath. "Pushy stoat, like t'blighter tinks 'e owns us."

"'Old yer tongue Rasp," hushed Touse, still with Cali slung over his shoulder. "That ones gots ears too keen ta be talkin' like that."

Raps just snorted in reply and stared walking once more, Touse following behind. Leon's mind worked over what he'd just heard, still unsure of what to make of it. 'Stoat', that's what Rasp had called Hal. Leon felt his heart pick up speed, and an odd ache in his chest as a single realization struck his mind like an arrow. These creatures were vermin! Vermin like the ones in the stories badgermum Cregga always told, or the many other times he'd heard tales during dinner or from his friends in the abbey. Vermin…the creatures who were so bad and mean that even Redwall didn't have any in it. Leon felt his blood run cold, turning his head with wide eyes to look at Touse, looking over the long and angular features that seemed so familiar to him, sparking memories long since buried.

Leon felt cold, wet, and frightened. Fear he remembered more sharply than anything else, but what memory was this? He was so cold, and somebeast was nearby…was it Terra. Yes, his sister was cuddled up next to him, but what memory was this, why was he so scared? Loud crashing sounds, yells and screams, somebeast holding him and his sister tight, so warm and protective, like his mother. Mother? His mother was a squirrel, a very gentle and kind squirrel…Leon's head felt light as the strange memory faded.

He felt himself being roughly dropped to the ground, and he looked around to see he was among a cluster of creatures, the bound woodlanders. Rasp's rough paws held him down as Touse brought some rope over from somewhere that Leon could not see, confused and dazed as he was. Despite the fog in his mind though Leon had time to think a few quick strings of thought; one, he was about to be tied up, two, he didn't want to be tied up by vermin, and three, he had one way of avoiding being tied up without his captors knowing it. He took in a huge lungful of air and held it just as the rope was wound around his chest, pinning his arms to his sides. Touse tied Leon's upper body througuhly, then moved on to the babe's footpaws. Once that was done he turned his attention on Cali, and soon enough both babes were as much prisoners as the woodlanders tied up around them. Rasp laughed gruffly, and left, Touse following at his heels, neither giving the babes a second thought.

"My, this is just terrible. I can't believe those beasts would stoop to taking captive poor defenseless dibbuns!" Leon looked up to see many faces older than his looking down at him and Cali with sympathy. It had been an elderly female mouse who had spoken, but it was the younger male mouse next to her that spoke to him and Cali.

"Take heart young ones and do not be afraid. I'm Samson, and you are among friends here," his voice was warm and relaxed, but Leon could hear a tremor behind it that said that this mouse was putting on a very brave face for the sake of ones he thought too young to understand what was going on. He heard Cali sniffling, and Leon looked over to see his friend's eyes watering as she struggled with the rope around her chest and legs.

"There, there, don't struggle young one," said the old female mouse, "You'll be alright as long as you don't attract attention to yourself. Oh dear, Samson what are we going to do?"

"Wait, for now, mother. There is little else we can do." Leon saw a pawfull of agreeing nods from the other woodlanders. They were all from what Leon could tell adults, many quite old. He'd thought he'd spotted a few much younger ones when he and Cali were being brought up, but he'd been too distracted by that terrible and odd memory to have paid enough attention to know. Oh well, he was running out of breath and he needed to do something soon or otherwise he, Cali, and all these nice creatures were going to remain captives of vermin. He pushed away the flood of questions that came into his head at the thought of that word, and started to exhale slowly, as not to make it obvious what he was doing.

The ropes that a few seconds ago were so tight around his puffed up body width now began to loosen as Leon let the air out of his lungs and let his chest shrink back down to its normal size. The ropes fell slack around his arms. Glancing around the ratbabe saw that the adult beasts had not noticed his sudden inventive escape, most of them talking quietly among themselves, a few working to comfort Cali. That was fine with Leon, he didn't want any extra attention directed towards him right now anyway.

He took a minute to size up his surroundings, trying to plan out what his next action should be. The mass of prisoners were kept in the center of the clearing, and he was somewhere near what he was dubbing the 'southern edge', never mind the fact that he had no idea which way south was. Vermin armed with what to Leon realized were weapons, the purpose of which he did not really wish to dwell on much, were standing at odd intervals of about twenty feet around the group of prisoners. The guards stood in pairs, and Leon noted they were only paying half attention to those they were supposed to be watching over. It looked like a bit of luck was on his side decided Leon as he planned…

"We shouldn't be doing this Halem…" said Lilaim as she hunkered down even lower in the bushes, fear plain in the female hedgehog's pale brown eyes. She kneaded the hem of her habit nervously, and Halem found himself thankful she'd lasted this long, and guilty that he'd asked her to come with him in the first place. "We really shouldn't…" she repeated in that same low whisper, her eyes darting around like bees buzzing around a flower.

Halem himself did not really know why he was doing this. By all that was good and right it wasn't even logical! But a strange sense of obligation, and raw determination to make things right, had set the young mouse into action. When he'd learned of how Leon had snuck out of the abbey he'd been truly mortified and utterly shamed that he'd allowed it to happen. Abbess Songbreeze had given him the responsibility of looking after the two rat dibbuns, and Halem had failed miserably in that task. A part of his mind had tried to see reason, tell him that there had been no knowing that Leon would have gone so far as to actually leave the abbey…but Halem knew better…he _should_ have known better. Now the entire abbey was at risk, and though it was not logical, Halem blamed himself for it. So now here he was, huddled between some unpleasantly thorny bushes in the middle of the forest with his closest friend on a truly suicidal errand of rescue without anybeast back at Redwall knowing about it.

"Halem are you listening to me? We should go back…I mean…I want to help those poor dibbuns…but what can we do against vermin?" she squeaked in alarm and covered her mouth with both paws, hoping no unsavory vermin had heard her brief outburst. Halem, glancing through the bushes at the seemingly massive encampment that sat not more than a score of yards away from where they hid, saw that none of the creatures there had seemed to have heard Liliam.

"I'm sorry Lil, I know you're right, but this is something I have to do," he said, scrutinizing the camp with an intense gaze. If only he knew where Leon and Cali were being held! Seeing anything clearly was hard enough in these bushes while trying to remain unseen, but seeing two dibbuns inside what looked to Halem like a small horde of vermin was like trying to spot a specific blade of grass in a whirlwind of leaves.

"Even if we do find them…" went on Liliam, "How are we going to free them?" When Halem did not respond she sighed heavily and leaned forward a bit to join in his observation of the vermin camp. She had never known Halem to act like this, not at all, but she was still his friend and would not let him down no matter how crazy he acted. The thought of the scolding they were going to get if…when, they got back to the abbey made her wince, but she'd take that over being discovered and put at the mercy of vermin any day.

She was about to suggest that they move to a new hiding spot and try and look at the camp from a different angle when she noticed that Halem had an odd look on his face, his gaze turning upward as his nose wrinkled, sniffing the air. His whiskers twitched and his eyes gained a confused look. Liliam started to sniff too and almost instantly found out what had gained Halem's attention. Smoke. Something was burning…

Leon didn't really know how this happened. One moment he'd just finished biting through the bonds on his legs, the next an unfriendly paw had lifted him from the ground. All, including his fellow prisoners, had been surprised and shocked that he'd freed himself from the ropes, the ferret guard who had by chance spotted him not the least of which. Leon had not waited to see what the guard would do, or hear what kind of exclamations or questions the ferret would ask, Leon had just quickly sunk his teeth into the guard's wrist, eliciting a rather loud scream and a instant drop to the ground.

Leon hit the soft grass of the clearing running on all fours. Where he was running he had no clue but staying put certainly didn't strike him as a good idea.

"Gah! Me paw! Ye little' runt git back 'ere!" the ferret was shaking his bitten paw vigorously as he lumbered after the scampering Leon, calling out for his fellow guards. Leon didn't even bother to look back as he darted across the clearing, heading right for the cluster of tents around the edge of the forest. He blurred right past a startled stoat guard who barely had time to register that a prisoner had escaped, and then Leon was inside one of the larger tents.

The inside was gloomy save for some light cast by a small makeshift lamp consisting of a small fire burning in a waxed wood bowl sitting upon a crate that was next to a cot that was currently occupied apparently by a now very disgruntled rat who just woke up.

"Wha' this 'ere now? I'm tryin' ta slee-what the?"

Leon practically flew across the tent and up onto the cot when the ferret guard burst into the tent behind him. "Got'cha now!"

The ratbabe barely avoided the reaching paws of the guard by leaping up on the tent canvas, tiny claws tearing into the fabric as he clamored up, still not knowing where he was going or how he was going to escape. The rat in the cot who had just gotten such a rude awakening had also apparently not fully realized what was going on and snarled at the ferret who had ended up sprawled on him after narrowly missing Leon. "Hellsteeth Dobbs! Git' offa me 'fore I clobber ya!"

Dobbs apparently didn't pay his fellow hordebeast much mind as he scrambled up off the cot and made another leaping grab for Leon, who was now dangling from the roof of the tent, trying to tear a way through with his teeth. Apparently the rat noticed Leon about then and let out a loud curse, confusing apparent on his unwashed face.

Leon's mind was racing as fast as his teeth were to get a hole through the tent canvas. What was he going to do now? His plan to free the other prisoners one by one without the guards noticing was quite thoroughly shot right now, and he did not relish the thought of what these…vermin…would do to him if they caught him. He could feel the grimy paws of the ferret Dobbs almost touching his dangling legs. He had to hurry! Cali was counting on him. His jaw and teeth ached from his gnawing, but for a brief instant Leon felt exhilaration as the canvas gave way and he dared to think that he might manage to get through, though he had no idea what he'd do once upon the roof of the tent, when his tail went taunt and it was suddenly taking every ounce of his limited strength he had to hold on while Dobbs tried to pull him down by the tail.

"Yer' all mine runt!" the ferret gave one last mighty pull and Leon felt his claws slip free of their grip and he tumbled downward, the world spinning around him as he fell. The air fled his lungs as he smacked onto something hard, and by pure instinct he kicked his legs, scrambling upright, and still in a daze he moved without even being able to see where he was going.

What Leon didn't notice was that he'd landed on the crate with the make-shift candle on it while Dobbs had fallen back on the floor from his own pulling momentum. As Leon rushed off the crate he knocked over the candle, spilling fire all over the tent canvas, which went up like dried grass. Before anybeast even realized what was happening the tent was ablaze. Dobbs leapt to his feet, ignoring the spreading flames and searching for Leon, who had in his daze ran haphazardly out of the tent and back into the open.

"Ye brainless fool!" yelled the rat at Dobbs as he rolled out of the cot, giving the ferret a smack across the back of the head, shouting orders in the ferret's ear to stop wasting time on the 'runt' and get some water to put out the fire, which had already spread to a nearby tent.

What neither vermin, nor Leon, knew was that the fire in the tent was just one cause for chaos in the horde camp. As Leon scampered out of the tent he could see vermin running about almost at random it seemed. The ratbabe's mind could not quite make sense of all that was happening, his senses overloading. He heard the sound of metal hitting metal, yells and screams, and saw that somehow the prisoners were no longer prisoners but were free and attacking the guards around them. On top of that there were a bunch of strange creatures in the clearing, forming a circle around the prisoners and attacking any vermin they saw with slings and small thin blades. A small back part of Leon's mind took note that these new creatures all wore colorful headbands and looked a lot like his mother's friend who had come to visit not too long ago.

The vermin that Leon saw were either fleeing the clearing or running around in a daze, much like he was. It wasn't long though before Leon heard somebeast with a gruff voice shouting orders behind him, and the vermin started to form into groups, firing back at the prisoners and their strange saviors with bow and arrow. Already bodies were scattered around the clearing, and more were piling up as sling stone and arrow flew across the area like bees buzzing around a hive.

Leon didn't pay it any mind though as he ran on all fours towards the group of now ex-prisoners, finally letting his mind focus and plan. He'd find Cali, and then lead her out of all this, lead her back home. With all these crazy adults running around with weapons killing each other it just wasn't safe for her. He almost made it to where the prisoners were, when a pair of paws seemed to come out of nowhere and scoop him up. Leon panicked and almost bit into the arm of this one as well, until a face filled his field of vision that calmed him almost as much as seeing his mother would have.

Halem smiled worriedly at Leon, the mouse's arms making a protective cradle around the ratebabe. His voice was soothing but strained with anxiety, which was not lost on Leon. "You're okay, it'll all be okay Leon, the Guosim are here to help us."

Elise was in a roundabout mood, but at least things were calmer now than they were a few minutes ago. For vermin those sods had put up quite a scrap. Around the female shrew her Guosim tended to their wounds while others kept watch, just in case the vermin got any funny ideas about a counterattack. The clearing was now theirs, though it had cost a few good shrews to do it. At least those hostages were now safe, thank goodness. The last thing Elise needed to worry about were the vermin killing off prisoners. Now the prisoners looked ready to take the few weapons they pilfered from fallen vermin guards and go take on the rest of the camp. Elise had calmly explained to them that doing that would have to wait until more of her shrews arrived.

The Guosim were a nomadic group, often living in various tribes all along the rivers and forests of Mossflower. Elise just happened to be the wife of the local leader, Log-a-Log, though she preferred calling him Dippler. Poor fool sometimes let the title go to his head and needed her to remind him where he was. She'd come all the way out here just to see what had been keeping him so long when THIS happened!

With all the vermin running about Mossflower she'd had Dippler send out word to the other Guosim tribes to all meet, a rare occurrence indeed, so they could either sit this threat out or deal with it as needed. Of course the crazy shrew had had to go off on his own to Redwall to warn his friends first! It wasn't as if she didn't understand that Dippler was fond of the abbey, hellsteeth she was too! But his first responsibility was to the Guosim and she had wanted to make sure the 'Log-a-Log of all Guosim' would be there for the blasted meeting of the Guosim tribes!

So off she'd gone with two score of her tribe to go grab up their Log-a-Log when they run smack dab into a blasted vermin camp sitting right in front of Redwall abbey! To make the matter worse the vermin had had a clump of captured woodlanders sitting tied up right in the middle of a clearing. So of course they had to do something about it, couldn't very well let innocent beasts stay in the grip of vermin, it just wouldn't reflect well on Guosim character. Not to mention she felt like biting nails off at the time and was looking for a good fight. She'd have a few choice words for her husband when she saw him again. It didn't help that she knew all her bluster was just advertising to the other shrews that she was worried about Dippler.

She heard footpaws approaching her and turned about to see Olio trotted up in his standard cocksure manner. As shrews went Olio was on the tall side, broad shouldered too. He had a reputation for being quite the charmer, though he'd learned a long time ago not to bother on Elise. Besides that she trusted him as a second in command when Dippler wasn't around to give orders.

"Well ma'am, iffin' our job here was to scare the livin' daylights out a' them vermin then I'd say we done a good job. Just look at 'em." He gestured at the tree line on the other side of the clearing. Elise looked and found she couldn't disagree with Olio's statement. A small tattered looking line of vermin stood just inside the cover of the trees, watching the shrews and the woodlanders on the other side of the clearing. A few were armed, most the others were females or children, staring wide-eyed. Elise saw the fear plain in most of their eyes, while the few that weren't afraid just looked plain confused. Maybe none of them had seen shrews before…Elise had gotten a close look at one or two vermin in the melee that had ensued when she and her shrews first charged into the clearing, and these vermin had an odd look about them.

It wasn't anything too noticeable, an odd patch of dark fur here, an exotically colored pair of eyes there, or maybe just a strange smell to them underneath all that stench. Elise just had the feeling these vermin weren't from around Mossflower, or anywhere close to it for that matter. Not that it really mattered, vermin were vermin after all. Well…mostly…that babe still confused her, as did the story the abbey mouse had told her. She would have thought him daft if the female hedgehog with him hadn't confirmed the story. The Abbess of Redwall abbey taking in ratbabes as her own? Odd vermin running about all over the place, scared as witless geese and scrawny as twigs to boot? Was the whole world going mad? Elise wished she knew, but couldn't worry on it. She had things to deal with in the here and now.

"Let them sit there scared all they want," she told Olio "Just keep an eye on them and make sure that if they make a move to attack that we'll be ready for them. Have the scouts come back yet?"

Olio gave a quick nod, "Just now. They saw even more vermin near the abbey gates, apparently with more hostages all lined up to be hanged. They didn't see much activity in the abbey itself, 'really quite like' they said."

"Blast it, more bloody hostages to deal with. Alright then, here's the plan," Elise drew Olio over to the side, waving he paw to bring over a few more Guosim shrews that she trusted to do their job right. She knelt down and they formed a circle to either side of her, listening and watching her. "We could try hitting the vermin head on, but I don't want to risk those creatures they got lined up to be hanged."

"I saw the device them vermin are using, big hulking wood platform, pretty well guarded," said one of the scouts who had gone to check the abbey. Elise nodded.

"Right, meaning we'll have to do this subtle like. We pull back from this clearing, make it look to the vermin that we've left for good, and wait 'till night. At the same time I'm hoping to sneak myself into the abbey have a little chat with my husband, maybe find out a bit more about what's going on here. After that I'll meet back here with all of you and work out the plan from there."

" 'Scuse me ma'am," said Olio "But what are we gonna' be doing while you go off on your own? Just sit around and wait for you with all these woodlanders milling about?" Elise knew he was talking about the prisoners they'd liberated. He wanted to know if they were to use them in any fight they might get into, or keep them out of it, which could mean more Guosim deaths.

"Those who want to fight let them, the others you keep under guard. These vermin don't seem to be looking to fight us any more than they have too, so I don't think you'll all be followed if we just pull back for now. I can get into the abbey unseen, so no worries there…"

"No worries, eh?" whispered Diane as she listed to the female shrew jabber on, telling the other shrews where they were to go and how long they were to wait for her to come back. The dark furred squirrel was hidden quite well up in a tree above the group of shrews. Darr was furious about this recent development, practically spitting acid at every hordebeast that went by. Diane almost chuckled at hearing the female shrew say that it didn't look like the vermin here wanted a fight. If only that shrew could see Darr Notch right now, storming about with his battle axe, looking like he'd like nothing more than to hew somebeast in half. Diane had to give the burly stoat credit though, he was smart enough not to attack these shrews directly again. They were pretty well organized, and knew how to use those rapiers they carried at their sides.

Not that Diane was worried about it. This whole plan was falling apart, pretty much as she had predicted it would, but it was still salvageable as long as these damnable shrews kept out of the picture. Diane could already tell that the best way to do that would be to take out this female shrew, who was obviously the leader. No leader, no threat. Or at the very least no threat until the shrews realized their leader wasn't coming back from the abbey, but by then, assuming Darr didn't screw things up, the horde would be inside Redwall settling into their new home.

The meeting of the shrews down below came to an end, and Diane watched them break up to go take care of whatever other orders the female had given them. Diane had heard snippets of it, something about hitting the vermin at dusk tomorrow with the help of the woodlanders in the abbey. A plan that would only work assuming Darr didn't take the abbey tomorrow with this whole hostage gambit of his. Also assuming that female shrew got into the abbey at all to coordinate the abbey's help, without which the shrews would likely be slaughtered. Diane smiled thinly and fingered one of the many daggers strapped at the belt around her waist…


	8. Chapter 7 A Day of Blood

**Chapter 7**

**A Day of Blood**

Cold night air rushed in and out of her lungs as her footpaws leapt and leapt again over the tree branches. Her vision cut through the dark with the help of the silver moon above, allowing Diane to see all that she needed to as she hunted. The blood flowed through her like a burning river, exhilarating her, making her want to grin even as she panted for breath. She made no noise as she moved from tree to tree, branch to branch, no noise at all to alert her prey.

The female shrew had been moving for the better part of an hour, and Diane had to congratulate her on the skill the shrew displayed in stealth. Diane had missed her when she'd left the camp and only knew the female shrew had gone because she longer was among the other shrews that had set up a small fireless camp at the banks of a stream a mile from Darr's tiny horde.

Diane had spent most of the time since then catching up with the shrew, dropping to the ground every now and then to make sure she was on the right track before leaping up once more into the trees to resume her pursuit.

Leaves licked her face, and stray branches picked at her black fur, but Diane hardly noticed. All of her concentration was on her movement, making graceful and precise leaps without the benefit of her tail as a counterbalance. After all these years she'd learned very well to do this kind of thing, and barely even noticed the absence of that familiar weight behind her. It wouldn't be too long now, though Diane knew she hadn't much time. The abbey was not too far ahead.

With one last leap and flip she silently landed on the ground, and as she looked up ahead she could see the dull glowing lights that could only be from the abbey windows. Was she too late? No, there was a dark form moving up ahead, swiftly and surly. Diane smiled and followed, the excitement of drawing this hunt so close making her heart pound even faster in her chest.

The trees ended, and there was only a smooth expanse of grass between Diane and a small gate on the south side of the abbey. She saw the form of the female shrew moving towards it, slower now that the goal was in sight. Fool. The drawing of the knife was little more than a light tingling sound in the night, but that was enough to alert the female shrew, either that or Diane's fast footfalls as she darted at the shrew, two daggers drawn, one in each paw.

The first engagement was a simple blinding flash of steel between two black shapes in the night, Diane's daggers rebounding off a shrew rapier that Elise drew in one flourishing motion as Diane attacked. The daggers made a musical note in the air that hung as Diane twirled about to the left, not letting up her attack for a second. One dagger flew up, another in and to the right at the shrew's side. Elise, surprised but recovering quickly from this assault, expertly moved her rapier into two lighting fast parries, though the last one deflecting the shot at her side was a bit sloppy.

Diane knew she didn't have much time; the noise of this fight would surely draw attention from the abbey. She had to finish this fast. The black squirrel went all out, daggers weaving a dizzying pattern, probing and poking inward, trying to get past the shrew's defense. Elise, to her credit, managed to defend herself against this onslaught, but could see where this fight was going. This dark assailant was preventing her from gaining any offensive momentum, forcing her to defend herself and back up, moving farther away from the gate into Redwall abbey and to safety.

Elise grunted as a dagger cut a painful red trail up one forearm. She knew she was good with a sword, at least as good as her husband Dippler, but this attacker, probably one of the vermin though she had a hard time believing that, was just too plain fast with those silver gleaming daggers. Elise knew her remaining life right now would probably be counted only in the tens of seconds, just as long as it took her to tire out from small wounds and constant parrying and dodging. The shrew gritted her teeth in a snarl, refusing to go down lightly.

A burst of orange glowing light filled the night, followed by a shout of alarm. Elise's night vision was ruined by the gate swinging open, and she had to fight the reflex to look away. However, Diane had her back to the door and the light, instead of ruining her vision, illuminated Elise perfectly. One dagger flashed in at the neck, another at the chest. Elise parried the one coming for her neck but Diane's other dagger slipped right into the shrew's flesh with a sickening 'thunk' sound.

Diane heard a cry from behind her, a shout somewhere between terror and rage "Elise!"

She looked over her shoulder to see a male shrew bearing down on her, no weapon in paw but anger and fear mixing in his eyes. Behind him was the tall imposing form of a badger, and a sight Diane had hoped she wouldn't have to see any time again soon…an all too familiar male squirrel with a sword bare in his paw.

Diane didn't waste time to see what would happen next, she retracted her dagger and pushed past the wounded female shrew, letting the shrew topple to the ground. Diane made a full on bolt into the darkness of the tree line, feeling the brush of air as an arrow from a guard up on the wall top zipped past her. Moments latter she was in the defensive cover of the forest, and she didn't stop running. It wasn't the fear of pursuit that had her moving so fast, not wanting to stop…it was the look that male squirrel had given her. Not one of anger, or hatred, but a look of disappointment. Diane couldn't explain it, but that look gave fear to her heart, which gave wings to her footpaws as she ran on into the night. She couldn't even begin to fathom why...

Dann kept the sword of Martin unsheathed as he carefully scanned the darkness surrounding the small pool of light created by the open gate. Somehow though the squirrel did not thing any more assailants would be leaping forth from the shadows of the trees. No, Dann had the distinct feeling this assassin preferred to work alone. He remembered so clearly that there was no mistaking the face; it was the same female squirrel whom he had nearly caught the night before. When the soft light from the lantern that Cregga was carrying had fallen upon her face she had looked right at Dann. At the time all he had thought was that it was sad that whoever she was she felt a need for some bizarre reason to work with vermin. Then she had run, and he had not even a chance to think about going after her.

His attention was snapped back to the situation at hand as Dippler knelt next to his bleeding wife. Already a pool of dark that Dann knew for blood was forming underneath her. Cregga was there almost an instant after Dippler, ignoring the shrew's frantic words to his wife.

"Elise! Elise say something!"

The female shrew did not respond, and Dann did not like the paleness of her face. Her eyes were closed, but Dann saw that her chest still rose and fell, though shallowly. Cregga wasted little time in examining her, and soon looked up to Dann. "We must take her inside and see to this wound."

Dann nodded in reflex, saying "I'll go ahead and warn Alora to prepare the infirmary."

At the badger's affirmative wave of her paw Dann ran off. He met with several hurried questions from a few gathered abbeybeasts around the gate as he ran in, but all he said in reply was a shouted "Make way!"

By the time he reached the main building itself Songbreeze was there, questions already plain on her face, blending in with worry as she gave him a concerned frown. "Dann, what's happened?"

"Dippler's wife, she's been injured. Song is Alora in the infirmary?"

Song gasped at the news, then quickly recovered and bobbed her head, "Yes, yes she is. Where is…oh no."

Cregga was now there, bellowing for crowding abbeybeasts to give room as she bore the still form of Elise across the abbey grounds to the doors leading into the main building. A stripped off piece of Cregga's tunic arm made a rough bandage around Elise's middle, but was already soaking with blood. Dippler followed at the side of the huge badger, his fear filled eyes never once leaving that of his wife. Song and Dann exchanged a glance, and she stepped aside as the warrior squirrel hurried ahead to warn Sister Alora of the dire event that had just transpired…

"Will she…?" Song could not quite finish the question as she searched Alora's face for any hint. The mousemaid's face was set in a grim crease, and her tone was flat as a placid lake. "I don't know Abbess. She is lucky that the blade missed anything vital…but she has already lost much of her blood, more than anybeast has a right to and still breath. I must admit though she is quite the stubborn one. I've stopped the bleeding, but she must be kept rested or even a bit of strain might undo what I have done for her."

The mousemaid took a long deep breath before saying, "If she survives this night I believe she shall recover, but this night is the curtail point."

"Can, can I see her?" This was from Dippler, who stood right next to Song in the hallway outside the infirmary. Alora gave him an appraising look. At last she nodded. "Yes, if you do not disturb her. Let her sleep."

Song could see relief wash over her friend's face like a wave of wind over tall grass. It was almost strange to see the usually joking Dippler in such a state. "Thank you Healer, you don't know what you're help means to me. If I lost Elise…" he coughed, trying to hide the fact that he was unable to speak past tears forming in his eyes. Alora nodded understandingly and stood aside, opening the door for him to enter. Before he did he turned to look at Song. The tears were still there, but there was a strain of determination in his voice now, "We can't let them get away with this Song. Those innocent creatures out there, and now my wife. They need to be stopped."

Song had no doubts as to who 'they' were as Dippler walked into the infirmary to sit by his wife's side. After the door closed Alora sighed and smoothed her dull green dress with slightly shaking paws. Song noticed there was some blood on both the paws and the dress, "I've never had to do things like this Abbess. I've never seen that much blood. Is this what will happen when we must fight the vermin come the morrow? I…I'm not cut out for this, I deal with coughs, stomach aches, and sore throats…not…not _this_."

Song wished she felt as calm and collected as her voice sounded as she put a reassuring paw on the Healer's shoulder, saying "We do what we must, when we must. Fate willing it won't come to unneeded bloodshed…however if it does, you, along with all of us, will do what needs to be done. Take heart that you're skills may save lives."

Alora nodded, eyes staring downward at the floor. Song could feel the tiny tremors running through the mousemaid's body. Eventually Alora nodded again and looked up, one paw going across her eyes to clear some fresh tears, "Yes, you are right Abbess. I must go down to the storerooms to ensure that we have enough soothing herbs in case of need. Good night to you Abbess."

"Good night to you Sister Alora," Song watched the mousemaid hurry down the hallway towards the stairs. She thought of following, to go to her own rooms a floor below and get some rest, but she reminded herself of the great amount of work left to do.

The fires in Cavern Hole didn't seem to burn quite as bright as they usually did, though Song amended that might just have to do with her darkened mood. She was tired, nearly exhausted, and the night was going to be longer yet. Thoughts of Leon, whether he was alright or not, hovered in the back corners of her mind like specters of old tales told to frighten dibbuns, whispering in her ears unthinkable worries. Leon _had_ to be alive and well. Song would not allow any other possibility to dominate her thoughts. She could not afford the worry either, for her concentration had to be on the task before her.

The table she sat at was mostly empty save for a few wooden mugs filled with October Ale from the cellar's. The hotroot tea had been drunk up long ago and more was being brewed at that very moment. Around the table sat her little 'counsel'. Dann, his father Rusvul, Song's father, Florain, and the semi-official leader of the refugee's, Lindin. Dippler would have been here if not for Elise…Song sent a small prayer through her mind that Dippler's wife would pull through the night.

"An ambush is our best shot," said Rusvul with a tone of utter confidence. "A small armed group hides inside the abbey itself while the rest follow what this Darr Notch will expect, and evacuate. Once the vermin have entered the abbey grounds entirely then those hiding inside this building will attack. By that point the hostages should be safe…"

"Assuming that the Guosim are actually out there and can do what you suggest Rus," Janglur said calmly. "Elise being here doesn't mean the rest are. Assuming that the Guosim are out there somewhere though how are we going to get a message to them, telling them of this grand plan?"

"Sombeast could sneak out…" offered Rusvul, not willing to quite give up on his idea so easily.

"Who?"

"Any of us might be able to do it. Janglur you're more comfortable in the woods than anybeast here, you could slip out of this abbey and get to the Guosim in no time."

"Again, with the assumption that I would know where to look. I'm not saying it's a bad idea Rus, but we have less than four hours before the sun start's rising, and that doesn't give us much time before that deadline…"

There was a long silence. Song knew that up above Cregga was getting everybeast in the abbey ready to leave, just in case. Belongings were being packed, rooms cleared out, and more than a few things were being left behind. Whatever plan they cooked up down here in Cavern Hole, Song knew that time was running out to implement it.

"Ifin' tha shrew lass was up an' about she'd be right able ta tell us where 'er band o' merry Guosim are hidin' out, wot." Florain said to himself, tapping his now long empty mug against the table in thought.

At the very moment however, as if her name has been some mystical summons, the doorway into Cavern Hole slammed open, the sound echoing throughout the chamber. All heads turned, and many eyes went wide, upon seeing Elise herself striding towards the table with quick steps. Her face was pale but set in a determined scowl, most of the scowl seeming to be directed at her stuttering husband that trailed behind her while trying to ineffectually grab at her arms.

"E-E-Elise! You must go back to bed! Now, I…I command it!"

Not even breaking stride she scoffed and tore her arm free yet again from Dippler's struggling grasp.

"You ain't commandin' a damn thing from me! Stow yer gab and stop lookin' like something is wrong with me blast it! I'm fine!"

Songbreeze had a hard time believing that, seeing as how the bandaging around Elise's middle was soaked through with a dark splotch of blood. Somehow the female shrew was not minding her injury at all, and Song could see a fire burning like a hundred bright candles in those dark eyes.

When Elise got to the table she leaned her arms on it, not bothering to take a seat, and looked about at the stunned faces that were staring back at her. Dippler, coming up beside her, threw Song a desperate look. She could see the wild fear in his eyes and it made her heart ache for him. This had to be worse for him than seeing her injured in the first place.

"Now what's this I hear 'bout some plan involving us Guosim?"

A few moments of silence followed her question, and before Song could clear her throat and 'gently' request that Elise should return to the infirmary to sleep, Rusvul spoke up.

"Come tomorrow that vermin bastard's going to get just what he wants…just not as he's expectin' it. We can take care a' him and his gang with an ambush here in the abbey, but we need the Guosim to rescue the hostages being held on that damnable contraption."

Elise actually smiled, a thin dagger-like visage that made Song wonder how Dippler survived being married to this shrew. "I like it. An' once we Guosim take care of the hostages we come chargin' into the abbey, cutting off the vermin's escape. Hahaah! It'll be good to teach those blighters a lesson!"

"Elise, calm down! You're hurt damn it!" Dippler was trying to edge himself between his wife and the table, forcing her to face him. "Fine, it's a good plan, but you're not going to be a part of it! I won't have it!"

Elise's scowl, as impossible as it seemed, got even darker. Song had no idea how anybeast could be capable of summoning up such an ire filled continuance. If the female shrew's face was angry then her tone had to have been rage itself put to word.

"Now you listen here _Dippler_. I have every right to fight with my shrews. Get it through you're thick, addled brained skull that I am NOT INJURIED! Scratched aye, but not injured! An' ye better believe I'm gonna gut the little squealer of a vermin that did it! So if you're quite done…"

"I'm not done," Dippler cut her off, and Song was impressed a bit by his own tone. The terrified Dippler of a moment ago was replaced by Log-a-Log, Chieftain of the Guosim in every sense of the term as he crossed his arms over his chest and stared up into the face of his taller wife.

"Elise, I don't care if you think you're injured or if you just took a noonday stroll through the tulips…you not going to put yourself in any more danger. In fact, if you aren't back in that infirmary bed in ten seconds I'm going to pick you up and carry you there myself!"

This was followed by a silence that stretched onward, and Song got the odd mental image of a string being pulled to the near breaking point. Elise's eyes starred at Dippler with what might have been disbelief if not for the obvious rage that the female shrew seemed to be trying to decide where to throw, Dippler's face being the more temping of available targets. Surprisingly, and fortunately in Song's mind, Elise let out a loud huff and nodded mutely. She then strode from the room, not even looking back.

Dippler stood there watching where his wife had gone, wincing when he heard a door slam in the distance. "She's going to get me back for that…heh…I'm almost looking forward to it."

No beast else present commented as the shrew spent a few moments collecting himself. He then seemed to realize just where he was as he started and looked about at everybeast gathered. He smiled embarrassedly and scratched the back of his neck. "Sorry 'bout all that."

"Nothing to be sorry about Dippler," said Dann wholeheartedly, motioning for the shrew to take a seat. "Besides, at least now we have something resembling a workable plan."

"Aye, now it's just a matter of settin' it all up," Janglur's face was thoughtful, and Song knew well enough her father was already working out the details in his head. Rusvul was more verbal with his ideas.

"Might not go exactly accordin' to plan, but it don't really need to. Come morning most the abbey is gonna empty out just like that warlords' expectin' it to. He'll walk right on in with his vermin, thinkin' the place is all theirs…then wham!" Rusvul's paw slammed the table top for good measure "The warriors we got hiding away here in the main building hit 'em with as many arrows and sling stones as we can, from the walls too if we can hide some able bodied beasts up there. Then Log-a-Log an' the Guosim can move in, rescue the hostages, then charge on to the abbey gates to flank the vermin."

"Gotta a'mit it ain't a' bad bit o' tactictionizein', but timin' 'ill be key, wot." Florain's words were met with nods all around. They all needed to figure out exactly who was going to do what and when if this plan was going to have any chance of success. As they talked and the night slowly became early morning Song's thoughts turned to the two ratbabes. She would be among the one's "evacuating" and she would take Terra with her, but Leon was still on his own. Granted he was among the Guosim…but Song's heart felt like leaden, unable to stop worry from spreading to numb her thoughts. Leon was impressionable at best, and he had already gone through a lot. Song did not want to think about what all this might end up doing to the young rat's sense of the world…

All too soon the time came. The meeting ended. The plan was set into motion. Abbess Songbreeze Swifteye walked out of Cavern Hole, through the Great Hall of Redwall Abbey, and out into the abbey grounds just as the sky was turning a bright shade of blue marked with streaks of gold sunlight painted clouds.

Darr Notch watched with satisfaction as the gates of the big red building swung open. He was wearing his best; a full shirt of somewhat rusted chain mail over his dark gray padded tunic. Over his back his huge battle-axe was slung, waiting, begging, to be drawn and used. To his left stood Eies, looking to be in as foul a mood as ever. Under the edge of the comically rusted helmet the stocky female ferret had put on her eyes smoldered with unreleased venom. Darr figured that even after these woodlanders left their big sandstone home that Eies would still want to execute a few of the hostages just to release some aggression.

He might even let her.

To either side of himself and Eies were the fighters of his horde, thought not all of them. A hundred, all clad in the best bits and pieces of armor that they could scrounge up and with the least rusted weapons stood in a relatively neat line to Darr's left and right. A few guards, about a dozen, were over by the platform where the hostages were all still strung up and waiting. The rest of Darr's able bodies vermin were hiding in the woods not too far away. If the woodlander's tried anything funny and somehow things didn't go in Darr's favor then those reserves hidden among the trees would make sure a route of retreat was left open. Darr was not a ferret to take chances.

The only thing that had him feeling a little sliver of doubt was that both Diane and that crazy but rather useful stoat were both missing. Hal, Yuri, Tand, or whatever he was calling himself today, was supposed to be here along with Eies, and Diane was supposed to be helping with guarding the hostages. Darr mentally shrugged off the worry though, figuring neither one of them were that important for this plan to work and that he could beat some answers out of them later.

His attention was drawn to the abbey doors as they swung open with a loud groan that echoed through the fresh morning air. A tinge of mist hung over the ground that, in Darr's view, gave the woodlanders an almost ghostly quality as they started to shuffle from the gates of Redwall. As Darr watched he noted how pitiful these weak wretches appeared to be, cloaked heavily, laden with their meager belongings, all staring at the ground save for the occasional curious glance of a young one. What a tempting target the entire line looked as it marched down the path from the gate towards Darr and his waiting vermin. The plunderer in Darr just screamed for him to order his vermin to attack, but some back corner of his mind told him that once a bargain was struck it should be followed. Besides, these unarmed creatures were no threat, and had nothing of value, save perhaps their own bodies which would make good slave labor.

He noticed at the head of the column of woodlanders was a female squirrel, the so-called 'Abbess' he'd talked to the previous day. When the woodlanders had gotten close enough the squirrel raised her paw and those behind her halted, then she approached Darr in a slow and non-threatening manner. He also saw that cradled in her arm was a heavily wrapped burden that moved slightly, the squirrel's own offspring no doubt.

The squirrel, Songbreeze Darr remembered her name to be, stopped just a few feet short of him. She was wrapped in a dark cloak, obviously meant to withstand even a harsh winter wind. The haversack slung over her shoulder was small and seemed a little too small for the personal belongings of a supposed leader. It seemed offensive to Darr that a leader of creatures shouldn't have more than the common rabble they lead. But then again, these were woodlanders, a weak and incomprehensible lot if one ever existed.

"Well Abbess," he said "Looks like ye saw sense an' reason. Glad I am ta not have make them red walls o' yer abbey any redder than they got ta be."

Where his voice was as commanding as he could make it, her voice was utterly meek. A deep rooted instinct inside Darr told him her voice was _too_ meek, but he ignored it. Still, there was something in her eyes he couldn't place, something that made him uneasy.

"You're too kind, allowing us to leave without any trouble. I doubt we could have lasted long in a fight with such…strong and powerful beasts," her eyes darted towards the platform and its occupants. Darrn noticed this and jutted his chin over in that direction.

"The 'ostages 'ill be set free soon as yer all well an' down the road a ways. They can catch up."

"Of course…then we ought to get going then."

Without another word she turned away and walked back to her own, leading them onward down the path past Darr's watching vermin, then onward until they reached the road to the west. Even as the last woodlander walked out of his field of vision Darr felt his unease increasing. Something wasn't right and he couldn't place it. Once more he put aside his growing fears in a steady voice commanded his vermin to follow him.

He, Eies, and a hundred vermin marched up the path and through the great gates into the abbey grounds. Darr felt his heart skip a beat as he saw just how beautiful it all was. He wasn't one for that kind of thing, but even his hardened heart could see the long and loving craftwork that went into each inch of red sandstone. More than that though was the sight of the orchards, the well kept grounds, and the calm and clear pond. Food and water to last months if rationed properly…and who knew, perhaps somebeast among his horde knew how to actually grow the stuff. Vegetables weren't the best tasting thing, but when compared to starving one stopped paying attention to such little details. Besides, there were probably some huge fish in that pond.

Though Darr didn't notice it his own vermin were similarly awed by the sights around them as they started wandering around the abbey grounds in broken up groups. Darr found himself with a dozen or so others along with Eies walking towards the huge main building, wondering what treasures might lie inside. It was almost too much to believe the woodlanders had just walked away from all this without a fight.

Darr paused in mid-step. His eyes went wide. Realization dawned in one clear and agonizingly slow moment. The squirrel's eyes…that had been a look of defiance. There had only been a few hundred leaving the abbey. This place could easily hold four times that number. Most of those leaving had been hooded and heavily cloaked…to hide the fact that they were mostly too old or too young…too old or too young to fight.

Darr was just shouting out for his vermin to group together and draw weapons when the first arrows sliced down around them. One rat drooped next to him, gurgling with a shaft sticking out of his throat. A second later another fell, an arrow piercing the rat's leg. The rat managed to scream only once before another arrow took her through the back.

Hot rage mixed with the fear inside Darr as he drew his battle axe and roared for his vermin to rally to him. He could see in the windows of the big abbey that there were creatures, squirrels, mice, and hedgehogs, all armed with bows and slings. Turning he could also see a scattering of woodlanders up on the wall, no longer hiding themselves but hurtling their deadly stones and arrows down upon his vermin.

"To me!" His voice was a thunderous shout "Everybeast to me!"

Despite the initial ferocity of the woodlander's barrage Darr saw that only a score of his horde had fallen. There weren't that many woodlanders, and many of them had rather poor aim. It seemed only a skilled or lucky few were hitting their marks. Already vermin were swarming around Darr, weapons bare in their paws. They all looked to him nervously for his orders even as arrows and stones took a few more to Hellgates.

"To the walls," he growled "Charge the walls and take them! There are only a dozen up there!"

The idea of not being outnumbered obviously bolstered the courage of the vermin as they moved in a tangled mass for the stairs leading up to the walls. Darr very soon found his estimate of the woodlanders numbers on the wall to be very close to the mark.

A little over a dozen mice and squirrels, all seeming to be very young, stood up on the walls, half armed with bows and the other half with slings. When Darr's vermin started heading up the stairs Darr saw a few of them drop their ranged weapons and pick up spears and swords that were lying on the stone floor of the ramparts. Anger flushed through his system along with adrenaline and Darr found himself charging to the fore of his troops. He was the leader of this band of vermin for some good reasons, and one of which was the rage he fought with in battle that made the other vermin fear him.

"Wraaaaaggghhh!"

Darr's war cry was a wordless guttural thing as he leapt up the stairs two at a time, arriving well ahead of his other vermin. The first woodlander he encountered, a young male mouse who stared at the snarling ferret with frightened but determined eyes, raised a sword in defense. Darr, using sheer strength and ferocity, knocked aside the mouse's sword and cut deeply into the side of the mouse with his backswing. Hot blood flew into the air in a gruesome spray that dotted Darr's face as he pushed aside the dying mouse, sending the unfortunate abbey defender tumbling over the side into the abbey grounds below.

Seeding their comrade fall and the blood splattered face of the enraged ferret the other woodlanders all seemed to want to cringe back, faces wincing, but on they came with the courage only those defending their homes and families can have. Darr waded into them with eager abandon, joined on either side by vermin soldiers he knew this routine and had done this a dozen times in the past against their own kind.

As willfully as the young woodlanders on the wall fought, using inexperienced thrusts and slashes, they were slowly forced back by the vermin. Both Darr and his horde had fought against other vermin for land and plunder, and knew death like a cold second skin. There was no hesitation in their blows. Several woodlanders fell to rusted swords and axes before the remaining half dozen, backed up to the northwest corner of Redwalls ramparts, redoubled their efforts to drive the vermin back.

For a moment it almost worked. A few vermin were cut down by the desperate strokes of the young woodlander's, but then with a crash of steel and the wet sound of blade biting into flesh a group of vermin who had swung around to the other side of the wall flanked the woodlanders and they were quickly cut down even as they fought through their last breaths.

Darr, covered in blood, did not pause to thing of victory, because even as the final woodlander on the wall fell under his axe he heard a shout of pain as a nearby stoat toppled over the wall, his skull crushed by a sling stone.

Down in the courtyard the woodlanders that had been inside the abbey building had revealed themselves, having rushed out to try and aid their friends up on the wall. Too late to save those on the wall the several score of woodlanders down below the walls were firing upward at Darr's vermin who had taken the walls. Ducking down to avoid an arrow Darr ordered his vermin to pick up what bows and slings they could from the dead wall ambushers and turn them on the woodlanders down below. He then stood and was about to lead the charge down the stairs to rout these damned double-crossing woodlanders when he heard a frightening roar that made his own war cry sound almost like the bleat of a newborn in comparison.

"Eurallliaaaaa!"

With a kind of mute fear twisting him Darr watched as several vermin were heaved bodily into the air and over the side of the wall as a massive creature that could only be a badger rushed up the stairs and hammered into the side of his troops. Massive tree-trunk thick arms batted aside weapons even as they cut flesh, and vermin bones were crushed even as the vermin they belonged to were tossed aside like dolls. In the span of only a pawful of seconds a dozen of Darr's vermin were removed from the wall, and the rest, even as they scrambled to pick up bows and slings, darted away from the sight of a badger in full bloodwrath.

Deep inside himself Darr somehow managed to draw up enough courage to heft his axe, wrapping himself in the warm blanket of his own rage, and match the badger's roar with one of his own; a challenge. Even as he charged past the fleeing forms of his horde at the badger on the opposite side of the wall he felt a cold voice in his mind telling him he was crazy to try doing this. As he saw the hulking badger turn towards him, not looking at him, but seeming to hear his rapid approach, he couldn't help by agree with that voice.

Dann watched with awe filled eyes as Cregga took on the vermin on the wall single-pawed, and for a moment Dann felt sure the raging badger would end this fight before it had a chance to escalate further. However, Dann had to grudgingly admit to himself, that vermin warlord had some guts. Either that or he was plumb out of his mind, a thing Dann wouldn't doubt as he saw the ferret charge Cregga, battle-axe swinging in the morning sunlight like a chip of black ice.

Dann had to look away just before the ferret and badger met, because he had problems of his own to deal with.

"Blasted sneakin' rottin' _vermin_!"

Rusvul Reguba's words summed up the situation rather nicely in Dann's mind. The idea had been to trap the vermin inside the walls of Redwall and fight them there, while the Guosim, lead by Dippler, would take care of freeing the hostages. Apparently this plan had run into a bit of a hitch…for Dann could see clearly through the open gates of Redwall that the Guosim were indeed fighting to rescue the hostages…from a full contingent of maybe fifty armed vermin.

Though it was hard to spot details Dann could tell that the Guosim were in a fix. Which meant they needed help. Dann thought quickly.

"Father," he called, "Stay here with half of our fighters to keep those vermin pinned down on the wall! I'll take the rest and go help Dippler."

Rusvul, who looked just about ready to go charging headlong through the gates and into the fray outside just looked at his son with a long blank stare…and finally nodded. Immediately the old Reguba was barking orders left and right, getting half the armed abbeybeasts into a stable firing line of bows and slings, firing steady volleys up at the vermin above on the walls.

Dann managed to get one last glance up there to see that the vermin were regrouping, even without their warlord, which made Dann look about to see if he could spot the ferret or Cregga. After a moment his heart lurched with an icy feeling. Where was Cregga? He couldn't see her nor the vermin warlord. She couldn't have been…

Dann shook his head, gritting his teeth in anger. No time to think on it. The hostages needed to be saved. The Guosim needed help. His father would deal with the vermin on the walls. No time to think. Time to act.

"Everybeast who ain't shootin' sticks an' stones at vermin get you're blades drawn and follow me! For Redwall!"

He heard shouts echoing his, some enthusiastic, some terrified but steady, and he knew even as he sprinted as fast as he could through the open gate and out onto the path before the red sandstone walls of his home that he had friends and comrades running right beside him. Running straight into a confused melee of shrews and vermin amid a wood platform filled with some _very_ frightened looking woodlanders…

Halem leapt backwards, falling over his own feet as the rat chopped at him with that wickedly curved blade. Landing flat on his tail the mouse had the breath knocked out of him for a second, meaning he didn't have the voice to shout in fear as the rat advanced. Halem fumbled around for the shrew rapier he'd dropped. Even as his paw closed around the cold hilt the rat lunged. Halem dived to the side, rolling out of the way of that deadly length of curved steel.

He knew nothing of fighting, save for a few sore blisters on his paw from the short training sessions he'd participated in when the abbey was preparing itself for possible war. Nothing could have prepared him for what was happening now.

Bodies lay strewn like puppets with their strings severed all around him. Shouts of pain, anger, and fear filled the air just like the copper stench of blood and less easily identifiable bodily fluids. The clang of metal upon metal and the dull 'thunk' of metal biting flesh added punctuation to the sickening orchestra of the battle. Battle…Halem's first…and he sincerely wished that if he survived it, his last.

The rat came in again just as Halem was getting to his footpaws. Like Dann had demonstrated to him Halem brought the barrowed shrew rapier up in a parry. He nearly had the blade knocked from his numb paw from the force the rat hit with. The rat followed up with a vicious reverse stroke that cut Halem across his forearm. With a yelp Halem clutched his bleeding arm, so fascinated with the burning pain and the odd wet and warm stickiness of his blood that he almost didn't realize that he'd dropped his sword.

Knowing he was defenseless Halem backed away, but the rat advanced with murder in its gleaming black eyes. Halem closed his own, not wanting to see the sword strike that would finish him. After several seconds of nothing happening, no bursting pain of a sword entering his chest of the like, Halem opened his eyes. A shrew stood over the now quite dead rat, already looking for another vermin to slay.

"Watch yerself," the shrew said harshly "Can't be affordin' to save yer sorry hide each time ye think to play at warrior."

With that the shrew rushed off, spotting a comrade of his that was being double teamed by some ferret's with spears, and figuring he could even up the odds. Halem just looked about himself with a lost expression on his face. The shrews battled with the vermin in an almost nonsensical tide of shifting bodies and flashing steel. Somewhere off to his right, near the edge of the woods, Halem could see the dreaded wooden platform, the gallows the vermin had constructed. There the hostages stood waiting to see if they were to be rescued, or executed, unable to affect the outcome themselves being tied up as they were. A small line of about ten vermin held the gallows against any shrews who managed to break through the melee and try and free the prisoners.

_Maybe Lil was right…_thought Halem, _maybe coming out here wasn't such a good idea…WHAT?_

Halem stood, watching with eyes widened with stark horror. Somebeast had managed to slip past the vermin guards and climb up onto the gallows with the hostages.

"Leon!" Halem's cry was swallowed up by the buzzing drone of battle.


	9. Chapter 8 More Questions than Answers

**Chapter 8**

**More Questions than Answers**

Leon was, in a word, terrified. New experiences were great fun, but Leon thought that perhaps he could do without this particular experience. All the shouting, the constant noise, the sharp smells in the air, it all did little to ease an already confused mind. Leon had heard the shrews talking about something called a 'battle' but Leon had had no idea just what that was supposed to be. Now he was afraid he knew. Battle was when a bunch of creatures starting hurting each other and making scary noises for no apparent good reason.

In hindsight Leon thought that perhaps sneaking away from the shrew camp to go see what a battle was like hadn't been such a grand idea after all. He was just glad he'd left Calli and Gil behind this time. They wouldn't want to see all these supposed 'grown-ups' acting all foolish and hurting each other. He'd been about to rush back into the safety of the bushes before somebeast saw him when he spotted the gallows. Of course Leon didn't know that's what they were or why a bunch of creatures were strung up there with ropes around their necks, but after thinking about what would happen if the stools they creatures stood on was kicked out from under them Leon got the idea rather quickly. No stool meant that only the rope around the neck would be holding those beasts up, and Leon thought that would be…dreadfully uncomfortable.

Seeing as how the shrews were trying so hard to get to those gallows Leon thought he could help. Dodging and weaving through the stamping footpaws and rolling and falling bodies wasn't as hard as it looked. Keeping away from all his fellow dibbuns in a good game of "Leo' Tag" was much harder than ducking about this battle. So getting to the gallows had been easy and it hadn't been much more difficult to nimbly clamber up the side and reach the flat wood platform.

Now that he was there though Leon couldn't fathom what he planned to do. Looking up he noticed those poor creatures were hung up rather high on that now very large looking wood beam. Maybe he could climb up those smaller beams supporting the larger one? There weren't any paw holds but that didn't matter, Leon's claws were sharp enough to dig into the wood.

As he rushed the beam closest to him and leapt onto it with a running start he thought he heard a familiar voice calling his name. Leon paused a second, clinging to the beam, listening, but all he could hear was the roar of the fighting. He did see that now there were other abbeybeast fighting with the shrews…and he thought for a second he saw the nice Sword Squirrel who was his mother's good friend, but soon all Leon could see was just an indistinct mass of moving bodies and the glint of steel in the growing morning sunlight.

Leon concentrated on his climb, his claws not sinking into the wood as much as he would have liked. After some scrabbling and clawing the ratbabe began to make slow progress up the beam. Apparently one of the creatures tied with ropes spotted him because he heard somebeast shout, though he couldn't bother to look to see who.

"Hey! Whats a' babe doin' here! You seein' this here tike Braim?"

"Goodness! 'Es climbin' up! How'd a littl' one like that get 'ere?"

"Who cares! It's too dangerous for a dibbun like that ta be crawlin' round a war."

"An' I suppose you plan on just untyin' yerself so ye can take him back to th' abbey"

Leon wasn't paying much attention to the voices, concentrating on his climb. Soon enough he reached the top and stood up on the large horizontal beam, balancing himself with his arms spread out like a tight-rope walker. Looking ahead at the beam in front of him he saw the ropes tied around the beam leading to the nooses around the necks of all the creatures.

Carefully he walked forward a few steps to the first rope and leaned over it. After a few seconds of looking the imposing thick strand of rope Leon shrugged to himself and started gnawing on it. Some of the creature's below him were still gasping in terror at seeing a babe in such a dangerous situation while others, seeing their best shot at escape, were cheering the ratbabe on.

"Yes! Yes! Go, chew that rope like there ain't no tomorrow!"

"Oh my, I think I'm going to faint…what if an arrow hits him?"

"HA! Look he got Braim's rope! Hey Braim help me out over here will ya?"

Indeed Leon had managed to get one of the ropes chewed all the way through and the mouse he'd freed was now helping other creatures out of their bonds. Meanwhile Leon just moved right on to the next rope and started chewing. This was actually kind of fun.

Just as he was almost done with the second rope Leon heard a buzzing sound, like a huge angry bee. An incredible pain burst to life on his back, like somebeast had poured hot scaling water onto him, and he cried out. He felt himself fall off the beam and there was a brief rushing of wind. Leon had a second to think about how odd it was that a bee would just decide to sting him for no particular reason…then there was a crash like a mountain falling on top of him and everything went dark.

Diane watched the battle unfolding from the relative safety of her perch up in one of the many trees of Mossflower Wood. From the look of things the entire plan of Darr's was going downhill quick. Somehow the hostages were freeing themselves, though Diane hadn't seen how the mouse now helping his fellow hostages loose had gotten his own ropes cut. On top of that the shrews now had the help of some of the abbeydwellers and were gaining the upper paw on the vermin.

Weeks with little food and constant travel had weakened and disheartened an already pretty pathetic band by Diane's reckoning, and as she watched the main grouping of fighting vermin were overrun when the shrews organized themselves in a slowly turning wheel formation that was supported by slings and arrows from the abbeydwellers who had joined with them. On top of that Diane had caught a glimpse or two of…of him. The male squirrel with the sword that shone like dark moonlight. By her count he was responsible for a respectable portion of the dead and wounded vermin on the field.

Diane had expected something like all this to happen, but seeing it in front of her made her feel a prick of guilt for not trying harder to convince Darr of how foolish this whole scheme had been. The last she had seen of the ferret warlord had been up on the walls of the abbey, making a suicidal charge against an enraged badger. Those two had met in a maelstrom of steel, blood, and fur and that was the last Diane had caught of the affair from her spying position.

From the look of things now whatever vermin were left up there on the wall were busy going about the business of surrendering to remaining woodlanders in the abbey after receiving a not-so-healthy dose of arrows, javelins, and sling stones.

It probably would not be long before even more armed woodlanders would come pouring through those abbey gates to help their fellows and then that would be the end of the horde of Darr Notch. Either the woodlanders would make those who surrender prisoner or just execute them, though Diane did not know or really care much about which.

"Might it bein' a' good time ta' be gettin' outta here," she said to herself, slowly and without much conviction.

She felt hollow now more than ever. First her real family had died at the paws of slavery under these vermin. Then, over time, she'd learned to at least accept the vermin as a replacement for what she'd lost. A crude, brash, and often cruel replacement…but a replacement still, and now that it looked like she was about to lose that family as well Diane felt a consuming feeling of emptiness inside her. The female squirrel of obsidian fur carefully scaled down from the tree branch to tree branch until she reached the ground.

The sounds of fighting were dying down, the screams and clashing of metal becoming more infrequent. She didn't have to look to know that the woodlanders, finally gaining confidence in seeing the hostages freeing themselves and gaining reinforcements from the abbey, were surrounding the few remaining vermin and corralling them into a tightly packed group. Like a noose surrounding a very thin neck. With no escape the vermin could either fight to the death or surrender. Diane knew without a doubt which way that decision was going to go even without hearing the clatter of blades, spears, and axes hitting the dirt.

Without looking back Diane began to run into the woods, not knowing what she intended to do now. In mid-step she paused, blinking.

"Eise?"

Diane blinked. Up ahead and to Diane's left a ways, crashing through the brush in a panic, was the stocky female ferret Eise. In her obvious flight the ferret didn't even glance in the way of, let alone see, Diane watching her run from the battle. Diane was just about to laugh at how it figured the most annoying of the horde would manage to get away when she noticed something else. Following Eise, with great stealth, flitting like a silk leaf on a soft wind from tree to tree as he was, was none other than the stoat of many names himself. Hal.

"Wha' the…?" Diane, after watching Hal trail Eise deeper into the woods, climbed up a nearby tree to follow, interested in just what this turn of events might lead to. Her steps were as light as ever as she hopped from branch to branch, keeping the retreating form of ferret just inside sight. Soon enough the thick branches came to a halt as the forest opened up into a small clearing. For a moment Diane could see nothing and thought that she must have lost Eise, but then she heard voices directly below her.

"And what vision doth mine eyes grant me? A fleeing ferret? Our dear slave master Eise?"

"Blast it ye daft beast ye nearly scarred me to death! Come on, we gots to run before them woodies start lookin' for us!"

As Diane watched from her hiding place she saw that Eise was talking with none other than Hal, the stoat looking none the worse for wear considering the battle that had just taken place. In fact he had not a speck of dirt or blood to mat his silky fur and he was grinning in a way that Diane couldn't help but find…disturbing.

Eise apparently noticed something strange about Hal's manner as well, because she took a hesitant step back, putting her back against the tree Diane herself was perched in. It was only when Hal took a very slow and confident step forward; keeping the distance between himself and Eise equal, that Diane noticed the stoat had a long and wickedly curved knife in his right paw.

"I had been hoping that the good creatures of the abbey would have finished off the entirety of you…" His voice was different, the accent gone, replaced by smooth and measured words, "However it seems as if they are quite the sentimental lot. In all likelihood they will free the Unclean that they do not kill in battle."

Diane raised an eyebrow. Unclean? What was Hal jabbering about? Eise for her part had also noticed the knife, and had taken equal note of the dangerous light in Hal's brown eyes, the thin smile spreading on his face one of singularly sinister intent. Eise was still trying to back up even though a very solid tree trunk was in her way.

"Yer crazy," was all she said.

Hal threw back his head and laughed, the sound cold and chilling. "Crazy? To be called such by an Unclean. Quite amusing. Even if I was insane it is still better than what you are, dear Eise. Now, to get to the _point_ of this matter," he started to raise the knife. Eise bolted, predictably, and Hal's speed caught even Diane off guard. She had never seen a creature move so fast! One arm snaked out elegantly and seemed to just flip Eise end over end without any effort, sending the ferret crashing heavily to the ground. In almost the same movement Hal had wrapped his left leg around the arm he still held and twisted it along with his body, forcing the army into an unnatural angle that had Eise crying out in pain. Hal still had the dagger poised, ready to strike at the now helpless ferret.

Diane didn't know why she did it. She certainly owed Eise nothing. Maybe it was just that she didn't want to watch this scene unfold, or that she just felt like knocking Hal down a peg or two. Whatever the reasons, Diane found herself launching from the tree and landing directly on top of Hal, the pair of them going down in a tangle of limbs. Despite the fact that she had taken the stoat off guard Diane learned quickly that she'd sorely underestimated her foe. Trying to keep him pinned to the ground was like attempting to wrestle with oil, he slide and twisted with fluid grace and in moments was free from the tangle and getting to his footpaws while Diane was still trying to recover from the initial impact of her flying tackle. Eise was lying on the floor a few feet away, clutching her twisted and obviously broken arm and madly trying to scramble away.

"My, my, that was rather rash of you Diane," Hal said, watching Eise's attempted flight casually, as if he had all the time in the world to do as he pleased, as he put the point of his knife close to Diane's face. She froze solid, wondering if she'd dare try drawing her own weapons. She was fast she knew, but she was also smart enough to know that she was outclassed here. Hal, whoever or whatever he was, possessed a level of skill that was…uncanny. It didn't make any sense, if he was this damn good why'd he let Darr boss him around all these years? He could have won leadership of the horde long ago…

Eise was finally able to stand up and turned and ran for the edge of the trees, not even hesitating to leave Diane to her own fate. It was a futile effort. Hal, giving one scoffing laugh, took the point of the knife away from Diane, flipped the knife so that he was holding onto the tip of the blade, and with a relaxed flick of his wrist sent the weapon flying. It dug itself all the way up to the hilt into the back of Eise's throat. The female ferret went down with barely a gurgle to signal her last breath.

Hal, still watching Diane, went over to retrieve his weapon, which gave Diane time to get up and face him as she drew her own daggers. Hal regarded her coolly as he took out a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his tunic and wiped the blood from his knife.

"I would not advise attacking me again," he said matter-of-factly "While I feel it my personal responsibility to kill Unclean when the opportunity presents itself, I do not kill indiscriminately. As much as you have tried to live like one, you are no Unclean, Diane."

"What'ya talkin' bout?" snarled Diane "Wha' all this 'Unclena' crap suppos' ta mean?"

Hal tapped a slim finger to his chin, considering. Diane watched as he mulled over options in his mind, and wondered if any of those options including deciding to kill her after all. As confident as she was in her abilities she didn't much like her chances if it came down to a fight. He'd hit Eise dead on without even really looking.

"Well…quite the question, quite the question indeed. A full answer would take up far more time than we have here. There are things happening here that go far beyond a mere small horde's raid upon a remote woodlander settlement. Forces are at work in the world that will bring untold change to all who live upon it, and unlikely as it may sound that little sandstone abbey is at the center of it all."

Diane couldn't keep the confusion off her face. Hal sighed and slid the knife away. Instead of attacking him while his guard was down, like Diane felt like doing, she instead watched, fascinated, as Hal began to…reveal himself. First he reached up to his face and pulled away part of his face…which Diane saw now was a very well crafted mask of sorts made of what had to be cured hide and fur. His real face was much shorted and blunt than the one of the stoat. He made some adjustments to his clothing, ripping a hole down the back of his tunic. Out came a long plank-shaped tail, previously hidden up close to his body by what appeared to be strands of thin but strong rope.

"Yer…an…"

"Otter," Hal finished for her.

"But...why?"

He laughed, and it was not the cold one of moments before but warm and natural. For some reason that scared Diane even more than the previous laugh had. How easily he seemed to switch moods.

"Haha, dear, dear Diane, you do ask the most broad of questions. Very well, since we have little time before the woodlanders from the abbey discover us here I shall make my introduction brief," he bowed elegantly "My true name is Vincia Grayson, Agent of the Imperium, and humble vassal to the Lord Emperor, shall his name forever shine in the Light. If you'd prefer something less grandiose to call me then Vin will suffice."

Diane's only response to this was a very emphatic and heartfelt, "Huh?"

"Indeed," he said with an amused smile, "To put it in simpler terms I am a servant and warrior who humbly performs the will of a large and powerful group of woodlanders who live far to the east."

"Ah see…an' jus' wha' is a' Agent o' Whatsits doin' playin' lackey in a horde o' vermin?"

"That is something of a somewhat sensitive nature I'm afraid. For the moment all I can tell you is that for the past four years I have been following the trail of a prophecy…one that was foretold by the Seer of the Emperor himself."

Diane had to admit she was beginning to feel a headache coming on. Emperors, Imperiums, prophecies…it was all a lot to take in, especially considering she still wasn't sure if this Hal, Vin, whoever he was, was planning on killing her anytime soon like he'd just killed Eise. And what did the abbey have to do with any of this? She was broken from her thoughts as she heard shouting not too far away.

"Hm, it seems the woodlanders are almost here. Probably checking for survivors. I suppose you and I shall have to play the part of innocent locals caught up in the fighting."

That's when Diane suddenly remembered the previous night. "Ah, ah can't be seen 'ere! Tha' blasted squirrel! 'E knows ah' was workin' fer Darr."

"Hmm…I see, unfortunate. Very well, I have a plan."

"Plan?" Diane didn't like the sound of this.

"It's actually quite simple, just turn around."

"An' if ah don't?"

He merely patted the knife he'd sheathed. Diane's eyes narrowed, but with a reluctant sigh she turned around. Soon enough she felt strong paws grasp her arms and haul them behind her back, then rope started wrapping around them.

"Wha'dya doin!"

"Just tying you up. You are my 'prisoner' after all."

"What!"

"Relax, it is merely a ploy. You'll see what I mean soon enough…just trust me."

Diane glanced back at her now very tightly bound paws, "Like ah' got a' choice."

Dannflorr let the warmth from the falling sun calm his nerves and relax his tense, aching body. Inside he felt numb. A lot had happened today. Standing up on the ramparts of Redwall Abbey, watching the sun crest under the tops of Mossflower Wood's treeline, he tried to sort it all out in his head and heart.

The battle had not been as bad as it could have been. There would be some empty seats at the tables from now on, for no battle was without its losses, but…it could have been worse. Somehow, repeating that line in his head made Dann feel no better. Looking down he saw the space where the fighting had been most fierce towards the end, when the valiant Redwallers had joined with the Guosim and caught the vermin in a vise. Yes, many more vermin had fallen than woodlanders. The vermin that had surrendered had been stripped of their weapons and summarily turned loose, warned never to return, under pain of death. Of the vermin who had not fought, the females and young at the ragged camp in the forest, there was nothing to do but give them the same ultimatum. That had always been the way of it, hadn't it? Hadn't this very same battle been fought a dozen times over during the course of Redwall's history? Why did the same events always…repeat themselves? Again and again, causing more to die?

He shook his head, a gust of wind playing over his face. It wasn't really the battle and the odd ceremony of it that had him really in turmoil. First was the obvious concern for Song's little Leon. The ratbabe, the ridiculously brave ratbabe, had done something truly foolish this time. His efforts had saved the lives of the hostages to be sure, but who knew what price he was going to pay for it? He had still not awoken from the fall he had taken after a stray arrow had grazed his small body.

Dann glanced back into the Abbey courtyard, saw that a light was on in the main building where the infirmary was. Yes, Song would be there, watching over Leon with Sister Alora and Terra. Dann wanted to be there too. He wanted to hold Song and tell her it would be alright, that Leon would wake up soon and she wouldn't have to cry. He did not though. He stayed where he was, trying to sort himself out.

For another problem had arrived to make the calm of the ending battle quite a bit less calm.

The Guosim had scoured the surrounding woods for vermin stragglers; and had encountered a familiar face, and a new one. The familiar face was that of the black squirrel who had been the start of this whole mess. Brining her in was an otter named Vin, who claimed to have been traveling by and trying to skirt by the battle when the squirrel had run into him. His story was vague, making some allusions to a struggle between the two of them, which he won, and upon doing so tied her up. Then the Guosim arrived and brought both of them back to the Abbey. Dann had been dumbstruck upon seeing the female squirrel, bound and looking as fiery and wild as the night he'd first seen her stalking inside the Abbey. For just a second her eyes had turned to him, and he watched bursting rage flow away into sudden panic. Furiously she fought then against the shrew's that held her arms, though bound they were behind her back. It finally came to a point that the strange otter fellow had administered some strange neck hold on her that knocked her out clean; the otter named Vin apologizing profusely for the trouble.

Dippler, understandably, had been less than happy to see this squirrel, the one who had so viciously injured his wife. The Log-a-Log had been immediately for slaying the prisoner, and though Dann only vaguely remembered the exact swear words Dippler used in his argument for killing the black squirrel he was pretty sure that none of those words he'd learned at Redwall Abbey. Dippler had been too tired from his own efforts in the fighting to give the matter much argument though, which was good because Dann hadn't wanted for any more violence to occur after the battle was already over.

It was bad enough that Song had nearly become frantic upon finding what happened to Leon, and the Abbess of Redwall Abbey was obviously not going to be able to act in any official capacity for awhile. That left Dann, his father, and Rusvul to handle the details of cleaning up the loose odds and ends of the day's events. The black squirrel was going to be at first released with the other vermin who survived the fight, but on a sudden impulse Dann had suggested she be kept at the abbey for the time being until she could be questioned. He hadn't been able to come up with a reason for why she'd need to be questioned; but the otter Vin had been quick to second the idea with great enthusiasm, even going as far as to spin a tale that as a squirrel she was obviously somehow under some restrain or duress to have been serving vermin and it was the abbey dwellers responsibility as fellow woodlanders to see to her recovery.

No beast besides Dippler and a few of his shrews had had any complaint about that; oddly even Dippler's wife Elise made no objection to the black squirrel being kept in the abbey for a little while. Dann had felt a great bit of weight fall off his shoulders as he saw to the unconscious squirrel being put in one of the abbey dormitory rooms. She was untied then, and Dann had asked a few of the Guosim to keep an eye on her. The abbey had no real prison cell to keep her in, but she was unarmed and the dorm room could be locked, so she wasn't likely to be going anywhere anytime soon.

If that wasn't enough there was also Cregga. The badger was still missing in action; as was the vermin warlord. The last anybeast had seen of either was the two locked in fierce combat on the walls. Reguba had been the first to suggest the dire possibility that they'd fallen off in the fighting, but a search around the walls had at least disproved that. Search parties that had gone through the woods had thus turned up nothing. Dann could only imagine what had become of the abbey's badger mother.

Dann let a small laugh escape him as he thought over all the days' events. No wonder he felt tired. The feeling nagged at him that there was more to it than that, though. He couldn't keep his mind off of that black squirrel. Who was she? Why _was_ she working with those vermin? What was her name? If those simple questions were not enough there were countless other problems bearing in on the young Dannflorr Reguba's mind.

One vermin band had been turned away from Redwall's gates. But what about the next? As Dippler had said there were apparently thousands of vermin traveling through Mossflower Wood right now, headlining in a steady stream towards the west. Elise had sent out a few scouts after the battle just to make sure; and indeed even as the battle had been fought it looked like many different groups of vermin had been passing by, all looking the to be in same or worse shape as the band that had attacked Redwall.

What could possible be driving such an exodus of vermin? What lay to the east that was driving so many creatures to endless walk, with little food, water, or shelter to the west?

Dann could think of no answer to this; and in all honesty those questions, ones that _should_ take precedence over all others, for the safety of Redwall was his duty, were dwarfed by thoughts of a black furred squirrel.

Vincia Grayson strolled with light steps down the main hall of Redwall Abbey, taking in and enjoying the decorum and the satisfying feel of the rough stone beneath his footpaws. _So much like the stones of the Imperial Palace back home,_ he thought to himself with a pleasant smile on his lips. Woodlanders dotted the main hall, some tending to wounded from the battle that could not be held in the infirmary, and others passing here and there on their own business or just milling about. It was all rather disorderly and it made Vin wrinkle his nose a bit. His was never truly fond of disorder. However, he reiterated to himself, it was his duty and what he'd trained for all his life to deal with any and all discomforts brought upon him in service of the Emperor. He would simply have to endure this country bumpkin life until his mission was complete and he could return to the Imperium.

Reaching the end of the main hall he paused, glancing at what lay before him. The great tapestry of Redwall Abbey lay fixed upon the wall like a living history, old and vibrant, the depictions telling the many tales of the abbey through the decades. Vin was appreciative of the delicacy in the lacework of the piece, and compared it mentally to the many tapestries that spanned the halls of the Imperial Palace. This tapestry would fit in nicely with those works of art. Not bad for country folk. The tapestry had a quaint and calming feel to it. As Vin's eyes slide along the tapestries many varying pictures his eyes settled upon one in particular.

_My, my, now that looks like a fellow who would do well in the Imperial Military Academy. Well built, strong shoulders, quite the handsome appearance. Look at those Unclean flee from him. Hmm, it at least seems that while these country woodlanders have soft bellies they at least still hold a healthy tradition of hatred for Unclean. …That sword…I wonder._

He reached out and grabbed the shoulder of a passing young male mouse dressed in a green habit and carrying a tray of cups filled with warmed tea for the wounded.

"You, please if you would tell me good mouse, who is that?" Vin indicated to the creature he gazed upon on the tapestry with a growing hungry light in his dark eyes.

The mouse, feeling a bit surprised and unnerved by the strange look in this otter's eyes looked at the tapestry and replied carefully, "Why, that is Martin the Warrior."

"Martin the Warrior…" Vin let the name slide off his tongue in a slow deliberate manner, as if he were tasting it, testing it.

"Tell me of this Martin the Warrior."  
"Oh sir I'm afraid I'm not very well versed in abbey history. I know he was a great warrior who fought to protect this land from those who would do harm to those who live in it peacefully."

"I see. What of that sword he carries?"

"The Sword of Martin? It is a very special sword. You ought to ask Mr. Dannflorr about it; he is the one who wields the blade currently."

Vin's smile, which had been growing ever since the conversation started, now became a toothy grin. The mouse flinched, almost thinking that the smile looked…predatory.

"Does he now? That is quite fortunate. I do believe I will speak with this Dannflorr. Yes, indeed I will. You my run along now, my little friend."

Vin released his strong grip from the mouse's arm and the mouse went scurrying off; happy to be away from this strange otter with the frightening smile. Vin stayed where he was for a time, looking upon Martin the Warrior and his sword.

_Yes…I do believe that, Martin the Warrior, your sword is the piece to the puzzle I have been seeking all this time. The Emperor will be pleased…very pleased indeed when I present the sword to him myself. The prophecy shall not come to fruition. _

Fear. Pain. Blood. Leon hadn't known what blood smelled like once; but now it's thick scent filled his nose and made him gag. All around was red haze, smoke that carried on it fearful sounds of dying creatures. Screams, metal upon metal; and something else. Something worse. A roar that drowned out all other sounds and sent ice shards into the ratbabes heart. He huddled among bodies; some faces he knew, others he did not. So many dead.

_"What…are…you…?"_

The voice was faint but firm, its strong tone commanding Leon answer; but he could not. How could he?

_"What…are…you…?"_

Shaking, eyes closed, paws over ears trying to block out the voice, Leon shouted, "I'ma…I'ma Leon!"

His voice was swallowed up by the sudden rush of flame and heat that suddenly blanketed everything around him. The heat was so intense for a moment that Leon was sure he would be scorched to the bone, but soon the flame subsided and he chanced cracking open one eye. He was in the courtyard of Redwall Abbey, only the abbey was unrecognizable now. All was charred and burned; black as…as…

..._a vermin's heart._

Was that his own thought? What was a vermin? Weren't they the bad creatures told in the stories around the dinner table?  
_"What…are…you…?"_

Ash and dust rose from the barren ground around him and formed a fog all over and Leon, now just barley managing to stand up, peered into the fog. He suddenly felt a need to move, to get as far from this place of death as possible. With barely a conscious thought his footpaws carried him quickly through the dense cloud of gray. As he moved he was barely ware of images in the corner of his vision; more bodies, blackened on the ground yet he somehow knew these were creatures he'd grown up with; those he shared his life with. He closed his eyes and ran on, not willing to look.

An eternity, a moment, he didn't know; but after a time his footpaws splashed into water. Startled he opened his eyes and almost screamed. The lake, the abbey pond…its waters were clear as day and in its depths he saw bodies, sunken to the bottom in a pile, some floating about like pieces of driftwood. All strength fled his knees and Leon found himself knelling before the sight, eyes unable to close. A sense twisted inside his gut that he desperately wished to deny, but could not shake. He somehow instinctively knew that _he_ was the cause of all this death. His actions, his very existence, had brought about this horror.

He did tear his eyes away from it then and curled into a ball, tears now flowing freely.

_"What…are…you…?"_

"I'ma…I…"

The voice became louder, increasing in intensity, and Leon, through his closed eyes, thought he saw a distant image; bathed slightly in ghostly white light. Was it…a mouse?

_"WHAT…ARE…YOU?"_

"I…dona…kno…"

"Leo!"

A new voice cut like steel lighting through the nightmare. Like a miasma the images, the sights and smells of death, faded and Leon found himself in darkness. But there was a new light, one of blue warmth and Leon felt a pleasant wind on his face, driving away his fear. The voice of the strange mouse faded into a bare whisper.

"_What…are…"_

"Leo!"

Leon recognized the voice. Standing shakily to his footpaws he shouted with all his strength.

"Terrie!"

For just an instant Leon saw his sister, smiling calmly and happily at him. She didn't seem solid, her body wrapped in a faint blue aura, but it was her. Leon didn't have a doubt in his mind. Terra reached out for him, and Leon responded, reaching his arms out to her. He wanted to go home. He wanted out. As his paw touched Terra's he felt a sudden rush of exhilaration; but it was dampened by a deep planted sense of dread. It wasn't over…it was just beginning. Leon then saw nothing but light.

Songbreeze couldn't stop herself. Tears streamed over her face as Leon's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at her. His body was still tucked firmly in the infirmary bed where Sister Alora had been caring for him, the sheets drenched in the young ratbabe's sweat; his head bandaged. Terra lay next to him, her eyes still closed from when she'd fallen asleep beside her brother. Song had not wished to separate her from Leon while they had still been unsure if he'd even awake.

When the arrow had grazed him during the battle he'd fallen far and hit the ground hard. Before the battle was even over he'd been rushed to the infirmary by one of those he'd rescued from the noose. Alora had wasted no time in doing her duty; Song nearby during the entire time with Terra firmly clung to her shoulder. Alora had quickly cleaned and dressed the cut from the arrow, but had then turned her attention to Leon's head, which had taken a serious blow. Unfortunately Alora's medicinal skills didn't cover such sever head wounds and so she'd only been able to clean and bandage it as well, and ensure that Leon was properly set up in one of the infirmary beds. Since then Alora had been forced to go tend to other wounded as the battle outside ended and many new patients were brought in.

Song had not left Leon's side, nor had Terra. Song had watched intently as Leon drew tiny, shallow breaths, her fears rising every time it seemed as if too many seconds had past since his last one. Now, seeing his eyes open, her heart felt the weight of a mountain drop off it.

"Ma'ma?"

"Oh, _Leon!_" Song almost instantly leaned over him and gently laid her arms around him, crying.

"Why'sa cryin' ma? Yousa notta babe liks Leo."

"Spirits, dear sprits, thank you. Thank you for watching over my Leon."

Leon struggled in her grasp, squirming and letting out a giggle, "Ma yersa weird."

It hadn't taken long for Alora to notice the commotion and the mouse was by the side of the bed in seconds, leaning over them. "My goodness he's awake! Abbess please be careful, his injuries are nowhere near healed yet!"

Songbreeze Swifteye choked back another set of relieving tears and somehow managed to let go of her grip on Leon. Beside the male ratbabe his sister Terra was just awakening, having fallen asleep beside her brother while he'd been healing. Her small eyes blinked sleepily several times and she smiled over at Leon, who looked at her with a big and odd grin.

"Tanks Terrie! Yousa got Leo outta bad place."

To this Terra simply nodded her head, the small, knowing smile still on her face.

Song and Alora exchanged bewildered looks, and Song gazed down at the two ratbabes, "Leon? Terra? What are you two talking about?"

Leon's face drew up in a frightened scrunch, "Wassa ina bad palce wheres everybeasty was hurtn' scary lookin'. Bad voice, sayin' things," his expression sudden brightened, "Terrie saveded Leo!"

Song didn't understand exactly, and was still trying to piece together what Leon meant when Alora whispered in her ear.

"Abbess, I can only guess, but from a wound to the head like that it might be that little Leon was having some kind of…hallucination. Or nightmare."

Leon and Terra had cuddled together, Leon suddenly going into a rapid and difficult to follow recount of his time outside the abbey; which to hear his voice he must've seen it as some grand adventure. Terra just silently listened, nodding occasionally as she held her brother close, and continued to smile.

Alora too this time to lead Song away from the bed so they could talk quietly, Song starting off with "What is the problem Alora? So Leon had a nightmare. Considering what he went through are you surprised? He's just a babe and he was forced into the center of a battle!"

Alora nodded her head, brown eyes filled with sympathy for Leon and Song alike, "I know. I am not overly concerned with it either…but I've been meaning to talk with you on this matter for some time now."

Song's eyes narrowed slightly, "What matter?"

"Terra. I…didn't want to say anything until I was more sure. I mean, I've only read a little on the subject in the abbey records so…I mean this may concern the abbey's safety…"

Alora trailed off and Songbreeze put a reassuring paw on the mouse's shoulder, regretting having given the healer a harsh look, "Please, just say what it is you feel you must say; especially if you feel it is for the good of the abbey."

"I've been watching Terra and Leon both you know," said Alora "Ever since the night they arrived here at Redwall. They're both extraordinary, I know. Leon's learned speech faster than any dibbun I've seen…and Terra. Abbess she _knows _things. Things she couldn't possibly have known!"

"I don't follow…"

"Well, there was this one time when Friar Walltin was cooking some of his blueberry scones, and Terra actually crawled up to him and gave him a odd look, pointing at the oven as if something was wrong…like they were going to burn."  
"Heh, Alora, you should know dibbuns have the keenest smell of us all when it comes to food. She probably just smelled the smoke."

"But that's just it Abbess! They scones weren't burning yet! Walltin ignored her; and a good five minutes later that oven was smoking with burnt scones…but how could Terra have known they would burn before they even began getting overcooked?"

"I don't think just one event like that is cause for worry; stranger coincidences have happened before."

Alora sighed and shook her head, ears bobbing about "But that's the problem Abbess, it isn't just _one_ event. It's dozens. Ask anybeast in the abbey. Terra may not speak, yes, but she always finds a way to communicate, and she tends to…warn beasts of impending danger or somesuch well before it happens. Brother Erim just barely managed to dodge a barrel of wine in the storehouse that had a loose rope, and the only reason he did was because Terra was there for some reason, urging him out of the way before the rope even began to snap!"

"So…what does this mean? And why tell me now?"

"This business Leon was saying, about Terra…saving him from his nightmare. I don't know, I just think it's another piece of the puzzle. I don't think Terra, or Leon for that matter, are normal babes."

Before Songbreeze could say anything Alora raised a paw, "I'm not saying this is a bad thing Abbess, I just thought you should be made aware of what I'm thinking."

"I…appreciated it Alora. I still don't believe what you say entirely. They are my…they're babes Alora, they have their own strange ways. And if Terra could somehow predict danger, why no warning about the vermin attack?"

After a brief silence Alora said, "I don't know. I guess this does all sound foolish. Even to my own ears. I'm sorry Abbess."

"Don't be. I think I understand what it is your trying to say. I've taken care of them since the day they came, so it is not as if I haven't noticed strange things about them."

Song looked back to the other side of the room, where Leon was just starting to fidget in the bed, seemingly forgetting he was even wounded. His eyes were already alight with the same vibrant energy that made him himself. Terra had curled up and seemed to have gone back to sleep, the tiny babe an image of tranquility; as if there was not a thing wrong with the world.

"It doesn't matter, one way or the other though. They are babes of Redwall Abbey and we will look out for them both; no matter what the future holds."

Cregga may have been blind, but she knew her way around Mossflower Wood. Her body ached and burned from the dozens of wounds marking it, many of them from the claws and axe of a certain ferret who walked beside her, using said axe as a crutch for his twisted left leg. They had both managed to bind and bandage some of the wounds, at least to the point where they could heal on their own, but it was still slow, painful going, this walking.

"Ye a right daft beast," Darr said, perhaps for the twentieth time. Cregga had lost count.

"No more daft than yourself vermin. Now how much farther is it?"

"We coulda gone back te yer precious abbey, gotten ourselves fixed up righn' proper," muttered Darr as they crested another rise in the forest. They'd been heading steadily east since the end of their battle. Darr still could not quite believe either of them was still alive after it. His initial charge had given him a great deal of momentum, and he'd used that to his advantage to lay in a few good blows before the badger's far superior strength and reach started to come into play. Then he'd done something _really_ drastic and tripped the badger, hoping to send her over the wall to her death. Well, she'd gone over alright, and taken him right along for the ride! Darr had underestimated the durability of badgers, as Cregga actually survived the impact, and because her body had softened the blow for him, he'd survived as well.

So they'd both gotten right back up and their fight had continued, raging all the way away from the abbey in into the woods. Darr, having been in many deadly brawls during his rise to the rank of warlord, knew some tricks Cregga didn't when it came to fighting, and since the badger _was_ blind her wrath, reach, and strength only gave her so much advantage. So it had been that eventually both had tired to the point of not even being able to lift their weapons, let alone finish each other off.

Then they had gotten to talking.

Just to pass the time until they got their strength back to finish the fight of course.

Or at least that had been the idea. Cregga had gotten quickly to the question that had been tickling her mind ever since Dippler's news had arrived of the thousands of migrating vermin. She wanted to know why. What was driving them.

Well, Darr had told her. All that he knew anyway. Cregga wasn't sure she believed it. An army of woodlanders, vaster than the stars in the sky? A merciless army of silver metal, slaying all vermin in their path, marching relentlessly from the east? Were such a thing true Cregga could understand why the vermin were fleeing, but it was still a tough concept to wrap her head around. If what Darr said could be believed then there would be tens of thousands of woodlanders, of such a foreign mind as to maybe be not entirely woodlanders at all, and they were coming towards Redwall.

Once, long ago, Cregga had been the Badger Lord of Salamandastron, the great mountain by the western sea, home of the Long Patrol. She understood the value of reconnaissance.

Hence why she'd hit upon the idea that if Darr agreed to lead her east, to the lands of the vermin, to the place where this army of steel clad woodlanders was making its death march, she would agree not to slay him when her arm stopped being numb. With a laugh, Darr had ask if she was daft, then agreed. Cregga wasn't entirely sure if her decision was the right one, not going back to the abbey. But she had to know, she had to see for herself what was driving the vermin in such large numbers. Well, not 'see' precisely, but Cregga wasn't going to let a minor inconvenience like being blind stop her. Perhaps when she returned to Redwall she would've learned something that would help the entire abbey.

So until such time she could put up with the odd company of a ferret warlord.

"An' maybe gotten a bit o' them vittles ye got stuffed all over the place…" Darr was still going on about the abbey.

"Oh, quiet you cur. Don't mention the word vittles. My stomach is aching almost more than my wounds. No how far?"

"Maybe a' walk a' ten day 'er so just ta' get to the edge o' the badlands. Could'b more. We ain't movin' all too fast now are we?"

"No more word on going back to the abbey. We'll heal on our own good time, and find...food along the way. Just, don't mention he word vittles anymore."

Darr chuckled, which turned into a spike of coughing, and then grinned mischievously over at the badger as they kept on walking, saying with deliberate precision, "Vittles."

Cregga couldn't help but laugh. Yes, this would going to be a _long_ journey.


End file.
